Sud de France Développement, which assists companies in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in boosting their businesses both at home and abroad, is today organising a showroom exclusively for buyers from click-and-collect retailer Chronodrive.
A total of 25 companies from the region will present their food products, including fruit and vegetables, as well as meat, seafood, olive oil and cheese, to 17 directors of Chronodrive stores, with the aim of boosting the retailer's selection of regional products.
'The goal is to support businesses in Languedoc-Roussillon in their efforts to trade with new retailers and new distribution channels,' said Chantal Passat of Sud de France Développement. 'Drive is currently exploding in France. It is the way of the future. In one year, 850 Drive outlets have opened up in France. The average spend per consumer in a Drive outlet is currently higher than in-store, so there is a window of opportunity, and tthe Sud de France brand can capitalise on this.'
LSA Expert estimates that there were 2,500 Drive outlets in France last year, when the average spend rose to €566 per year per household, according to Nielsen TradeDimensions. Meanwhile, Kantar Worldpanel predicts that the Drive concept will attract a further 4.5m people in France by 2015, increasing its market share to 6.1 per cent.