Since joining the SanLucar group, the French company Buonanno, based at Saint-Charles International in Perpignan, has been focusing on a very special strawberry: the SanLucar premium strawberry, at the heart of SanLucar's premium red fruit strategy.
Behind this premium strawberry is a club variety, selected for its taste qualities and clearly positioned as a premium product.
"The SanLucar strawberry stands out for its aromatic profile. It has more aroma and more flavor," explains Fabien Lefebvre, managing director of Buonanno.
Its size also corresponds very well, if not better, to the expectations of the French market than other varieties. "In Spain, we prefer larger sizes. French consumers, however, prefer finer and more homogeneous strawberries."
© SanLucar Group
Controlled production along the Mediterranean
Our production strategy is based on an integrated, structured model. We work within the framework of a varietal program with selected partner producers and experts in Spain, northern Morocco, and Tunisia, as well as in northern Europe during the summer season.
"Our producers grow our premium varieties as part of our program, and we then market them. This is mainly done in pitufo-type trays in 1 kg boxes, which are particularly well-suited to the French market," explains Fabien Lefebvre.
Some of the Tunisian production is also destined for other markets, notably the Middle East. However, given the current geopolitical context, some of the volumes have been redirected to France. "From the outset, this represents one or two extra trucks a week, which fits in perfectly with our premium positioning."
A Spanish campaign marked by weather challenges
"The Spanish campaign was very difficult, with extreme weather conditions. One of our suppliers even lost a lot of greenhouse space due to a tornado," explains the managing director.
After a solid start to the season in December and January, February proved to be a much tougher month. However, thanks to the robustness of the variety, losses were limited. "We had very few quality problems, and this strawberry has excellent shelf life."
The market itself has seen a sudden turnaround. "Prices were stable until recently, but with the arrival of sunny, warm weather, volumes flooded onto the market, and prices were divided by three in four days."
This drop should be put into perspective. "At this time of year, the demand for strawberries always increases, which is generally positive for the campaign."
Anticipation and visibility as strategic levers
In an increasingly competitive market - with Belgian and Dutch production particularly early this year - Buonanno is banking on anticipation and differentiation.
"We work with a select group of wholesalers and specialists looking for high-added-value products. We focus on value rather than volume."
The company also relies on precise planning, a real asset when it comes to managing quality and volumes. "A large proportion of our SanLucar red fruit is produced by our own farms and long-standing partners. This gives us good visibility over our volumes, enabling us to anticipate better and limit variations. It is a highly structured model that makes our work a lot smoother."
Looking ahead: French production
From next year, a new stage could be reached with the launch of production in France. "The idea is that, as soon as we enter the season in a given zone, we will switch to local production," explains Fabien Lefebvre.
This development should further strengthen the presence of SanLucar soft fruit on the French market. The example of SanLucar premium strawberries illustrates how SanLucar's soft fruit strategy brings real benefits to consumers and, in particular, to distribution partners - including for raspberries and blueberries.
