Fruit & veg buyer reception in Perpignan
Saint-Charles Export held a new buyers’ reception from November 20-23 to bring together industry professionals interested in making new contacts with possible trading partners in fruit and vegetables.
With the help of Business France, it gathered a buyer team including an Irish importer, a German wholesaler, a German importer, two Polish buyers and a Slovenian importer for the Balkan countries (Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo, Albania).
This event was sponsored by founding members of the group: the General Council of the Pyrénées-Orientales, the national union of fruit and vegetable importers/exporters, and the association of owners of Saint Charles International, within the framework of the 2016 Saint-Charles Export programme.
In a press release, Saint-Charles International said the buyers were eager to discover the assets of the Pyrénées-Orientales and the East of the Occitanie region, and of the Saint-Charles platform, in terms of fresh fruit and vegetable production, marketing, transport and logistics,
“Their diverse interests and profiles allowed a very good quality of exchanges and all the visited companies were able to put forward their know-how…”
“Indeed, from the German company, which distributes mainly to discounters, to the wholesaler in Düsseldorf, which supplies convenience stores and markets, or the two purchasers from Poland whose mission is to supply 1070 stores, and the Slovenian importer who already bought in Holland, Egypt, Greece etc, and who finally ordered before the end of the trip… all conditions were present to have a successful trip,” it said.
Saint-Charles Export director Cyril Gornes had developed an intensive program with 20 appointments. The meetings took place at various firms and farms, with visits to:
- Saint-Charles international trading companies, mostly specialised in Spanish and Moroccan origins,
- Transport and logistics companies,
- French salad and stone fruit producers, with visits to salad greenhouses and packing stations,
- French apple and pear growers, approved by the Pink Lady brand,
- A variety research and trading centre specialising in apricots,
- An international trading company focused on Corsican and Tunisian products.
“The buyers had access to an extremely varied product offer, and a range of prices that could interest all the different company profiles of the group.
“From citrus fruit to dates and tomatoes, not to mention transport solutions, questions were numerous during those three days throughout the region.
Some of the companies visited have already received requests for quotations on their products,” Saint-Charles International said.
