This is the third generation of endive growers to set up at the Selosse endive production site. Marie and Pierre returned to the family farm 8 years ago with the aim of creating a diversification channel. The idea came from a cousin who works with disabled children. After visiting the endive farm, she found that growing endive could be a rich subject of study for her pupils. So we thought of a way of transposing it to a class of pupils, and from there was born the Endive Box, a concept developed by my husband and father-in-law," explains Marie Selosse. This innovation is now the subject of a patent filed in 2020.
The Endive Box, a concept with three vocations
Although the beginnings coincided with the Covid epidemic, the Endive Box is now stocked in a number of garden centers in France. But Marie and Pierre want to go further. "It is a concept with three aims. First, it is aimed at home gardeners. Endive is a highly technical crop that is difficult to grow, but the Endive Box is a tool that makes it easy for amateur gardeners to grow endive. All there is to do is add water and put them at room temperature, and three weeks later, 2.5 to 3 kg of endive can be harvested per box, which contains 12 to 16 roots. Besides garden centres, we also want to work with supermarkets. We are currently looking for partners in the retail sector, in order to reach consumers who eat endives in bags or in bulk. Finally, the third target is schools. Endive is a very complete, fun teaching aid that can be used at any age. In nursery school, children can count the number of days from sprout to harvest. They learn how to look after the plant by providing it with the water it needs to grow, and they discover its colours. Then, in primary school, they can start to learn more about endive growth, its needs and even study the principle of photosynthesis."
Endive Boxes: a way of restoring the reputation of this vegetable
For the last 4 years, Marie Selosse has also been selling her Endive Boxes at Christmas markets. "We see customers coming back year after year and we have had great feedback. Some people now prefer to buy an Endive Box rather than a bouquet of flowers. It is a fun activity to do with children or grandchildren, with a 100% success rate. But with this Box, we also want to restore the reputation of this vegetable, which is not necessarily well-known or popular. But a well-cooked endive has no bitterness and is a very pleasant vegetable to eat. We want to help consumers learn how to cook endive so that they can enjoy the product to the fullest. The aim is also to rejuvenate the rather ageing target group."
A major concern for the future of the French endive sector
The Selosse endive factory, located in Villers-Guislain (Hauts-de-France region), grows endive on 100 hectares of land and employs 40 people. "We control the entire production process, from seed to endive. We are very attached to this vegetable, which is becoming increasingly difficult to produce. More and more endive farms are closing down, and the sector is being undermined by a number of constraints, such as the rising cost of electricity and the reduction in approved molecules, with no alternatives offered. To date, we do not know how we will be able to produce endives in 2025. If we reach a technical impasse, how will we be able to offer French endives? This is a real concern, not only for the future of the sector but also for our employees and their families. But we remain optimistic and we are moving forward, because we have overcome crises before and we still exist as endive producers."
For more information:
Marie Selosse
Endiverie Selosse
[email protected]