Brittany-based marketer Prince de Bretagne is highlighting the wide range of products currently available in growing volumes, including a steady supply of endives - around 250 tonnes a week - until the end of April.
The choice of packaging options also continues to expand, with a sachet of five endives now available in the Endives du Prince range. “In this range, the front of the sachet is largely transparent for product visibility, while the back is packed with information: cooking tips, recipe ideas, nutritional info and storage advice,” the company states.
The past month or so has also witnessed the arrival of Gariguettes, the leading variety in Prince de Bretagne’s strawberry range. Following the first supplies at the end of February, Gariguette volumes grow in strength through March, before hitting peak production in April and May.
Prince de Bretagne’s Gariguettes are grown in suspended beds under cover, harvested by hand and packed immediately on the farm. “To preserve the quality of these precious fruits and provide optimum freshness, strawberries are sold at the auction while being harvested and are then shipped the same day,” the company states. “It’s a real technical feat, with these daily logistics guaranteeing 12-24 hours of extra freshness.”
Meanwhile, Prince de Bretagne tomatoes have been arriving in substantial volumes since March, with favourable light conditions in December and January leading to a good quality crop from the start of the season. The company is the leading French operator of vine tomatoes and second for round tomatoes.
According to the marketer, volumes are also increasing for all its classic lines, including cocktail tomatoes, as well as for more recent arrivals like Saveurs d’Antan, Black d’Antan and Marmande d’Antan, and for heirloom coloured tomatoes.
This year, Prince de Bretagne celebrates 20 years of organic production at the company, which now brings together 50 organic producers in Saint-Pol-de-Léon, Paimpol and Saint-Malo. “We offer more than 30 vegetable varieties, and some 20,000 tonnes are sold each year,” says Jean-Jacques Le Bris, an organic pioneer in Brittany. “It’s a great success.”
With demand constantly increasing for organic products, Prince de Bretagne plans to continue developing both the volume and the diversity of its range. “The growth in production is currently not enough to keep up with demand,” says Pierre Gélébart, head of organics at the marketer. “Sales are increasing fast, especially for cauliflowers and tomatoes, as consumers opt for more environmentally friendly products.”
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