Last week, Kultive launched its cucumber campaign, but snack cucumbers have been on the market for about 15 days. Volumes remain virtually unchanged, with 23,000 tons and 300 tons predicted for this year, respectively. Alexandre Picault, the company's sales manager, provides an update on the challenges in 2024.
Simon Boisgard / © Philippe Montigny. All Kultive products are certified by Global Gap, HEV, and Demain la Terre.
Remuneration and market
One of the first objectives for 2024 concerns producer remuneration. "The idea is to do as well or better than in 2023," explains Alexandre Picault, "because most costs continue to rise and producers need financial reassurance. We need to maintain and support valuation at production to support investment and help set up or take over production facilities." In terms of marketing, "we need to succeed in building up our market until mid-April, after which all the production basins will come onto the market." This year, producers are hoping that the weather will favor consumption.
Priority to French origin
In 2023, distributors "played the French card," but this year, the dynamic could be different. "Unlike last year, the price gap between Spanish/Dutch and French products is quite marked (up to 0.50 euro cents [0.54 USD]. Today, supermarkets favor low prices for consumers." Discussions are currently underway within the sector on how to raise consumer awareness to promote the product from April onwards, when production is at its peak, in particular by boosting sales and highlighting special offers. However, "it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between a French and a Spanish or Dutch cucumber on the shelves."
Jean-Marc and Grégoire Leriche / © Philippe Montigny
More cucumbers this summer?
French cucumber production "naturally has a dip between June and July," but the prospect of economic activity influenced by the millions of visitors who will flock to the summer Olympic games this summer could lead Kultive to review its production schedule. "We might move up the harvesting schedule by a few weeks in order to meet the higher demand that can be expected at this time of year."
Jean-Michel Gallier
Development of snack cucumbers
Although snack cucumbers only account for 1% of sales in France, Kultive wants to increase its offer and reverse the trend. "Today, we have more and more demand from retailers, so we are going to push production and see how we can adapt supply to the market." The advantage of snack cucumbers is that they can be produced upon the request of certain chains. Consumers can find them all season long, bagged and priced the same. They are also very well suited for single-parent households to get their cucumber portion.
For more information:
Alexandre Picault
Kultive S.A.S.
190 allée du bois vert
45640 Sandillon, France
Tel.: 02 38 49 33 49
Fax: 02 38 49 33 48
contact@kultive.com
www.kultive.fr