The French clementine season is shaping up very well, with slightly larger sizes than usual this year. "We started the season with a very sweet fruit, with a slightly lower sugar/acidity ratio than last year, as a result of heavy rainfall. The volumes have not really been affected by the rain, but we did have a lot more large sizes, with sizes 3-4 being fairly absent, which meant that we were not able to serve the clients who are keen on small fruit, as is the case in the west of France," explains Benoît Maillard-Guillon of Ets Meseguer.
Supermarkets on the lookout for firmer fruit
The clementine varieties, on the market since early November, are appreciated for their taste qualities, but the demand for mandarins, sought after for their firmness, is now palpable. "We are in a traditional season where, from December 15th onwards, supermarkets prefer to position themselves on mandarins and offer their customers firmer fruit. The selection of clementines is still much more important on the shelves. The fruits are large, which in no way alters their taste quality, but can make people reluctant to buy them because they are softer. However, until December, the clementine varieties are very good and much tastier than the mandarins, which may be firmer, but are still the first fruit of the season."
"We only start the campaign when the product is ready"
The market is therefore taking two different directions. "The retailers who are looking above all for tasty products to stand out from the crowd, generally stick with clementines, while supermarkets, who select according to the firmness of the fruit, are switching to mandarins. Although these two groups are complementary, we start the campaign when the product is ready, not when the clients ask us to. Some of our clients have been wanting mandarins for a few weeks, but the product is not tasty enough yet for us to sell it to them. It is also our role to advise clients, and at the moment, we are trying to steer them a little more towards clementines, since our main goal is to build customer loyalty."
For more information:
Ets Meseguer
Benoît Maillard-Guillon
Phone: +33 146 864 170
[email protected]
www.etsmeseguer.fr