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A Breton tomato for
innovation and sustainability
The two leading brands, Saveol and Prince de Bretagne,
combine segmentation and cost saving in the supply chain
One French tomato in three is grown
in Brittany, where the two leading
organizations, Saveol and Prince de
Bretagne, pursue different strategies.
After a 2007 season with little joy, flavour
is back in the limelight for 2008.
Both of the top brands are going for
plenty of segmentation and innovation.
Prince de Bretagne innovations
The no.1 French tomato operator’s
family is growing. This Breton cooperative’s
140 growers are offering a
multitude of novelties in the tomato
range this year. In 2007, Prince de
Bretagne produced 85,000 tonnes of
tomatoes (70% vine, 25% loose and
5% speciality). 80% of its output is
grown for the French market and 20%
for export (Britain, Germany). The objective
for 2008 is to bring the specialist
varieties up to 10%, in response to
requests from both the multiples and
wholesalers, in order to increase the
range and rationalize the logistics.
“Segmentation will include two different
product lists to meet the demands
of the supermarkets and of the
wholesalers”, explained Emmanuel
Descloux, the group’s marketing chief.
This year Prince de Bretagne is offering
flowpacks: “It is a matter of protecting
the product. For consumers,
it is a guarantee of compliance with
the best conditions of hygiene, food
safety and keeping quality”. In their
mini versions, Prince de Bretagne tomatoes
are eaten like sweets: yellow
or red mini-cherry, mini San Marzano
and the ‘bonbonette’ tomato are presented
in individual tubs or snack
tubs, “the no-pounds snack!”, not forgetting
250 g and 125 g snack sachets
for adults and children. For wholesalers
there are small lidless baskets of
cherry tomatoes placed in a traditional
wooden tray. Prince de Bretagne’s big
stake for 2008 is the “Tastes of the
Past” box, offering a mixture of sev-
eral traditional varieties (Coeur de
boeuf, Cornue des Andes, Crimean
Black, Rose de Berne, Ananas, Coeur
de boeuf de Nice, Citron) and allowing
the consumer to choose the shapes
and colours.
Saveol has 22 varieties
Following its 15-year-long commitment
to vine tomatoes, Saveol (150
growers) is directing its segmentation
towards more flavour and colour. In
2007 Saveol produced 70,000 tonnes
of tomatoes, the majority (60%) speciality
types. The firm’s 22 different
varieties are mostly targeted at the
French market, which accounts for
80% of its sales. “We define our range
by 4 universes: basket of the day,
pleasure, traditional flavours and fitness
and vitality”, said Catherine Legal,
the head of marketing. A different
colour is assigned to each universe to
catch the consumer’s eye and make
the choice easier. The novelties being
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introduced by Savéol include mélimélo,
a mixture of 5 pigeon heart and
cherry tomato varieties in 4 colours
(red, yellow, orange and black), and
a ‘gourmet collection’ of 4 traditional
varieties (Coeur de Boeuf, Sicilian,
Crimean Black and Ananas tomatoes)
presented in straw in a 3 kg box. Saveol
is also committed to ‘health’ products,
very much in fashion nowadays,
offering the lycopene-rich Romanella
and Torino varieties. In 2007 Saveol
won an Ecotop award for its environmental
management. It redesigned all
its packaging in the spirit of sustainable
development. By optimising its
box sizes, lowering the height of the
cardboard boxes and reducing the
thickness of some packaging, the firm
reckons to save around 250 tonnes
of cardboard and 3 tonnes of plastic
a year. “We want to make Saveol a
benchmark brand for the market in
terms of innovation and sustainability”,
explained Catherine Legal.