Sales growing by 8% for Biocoop since the start of the year, and by 5% for Naturalia, the news is enough to rejoice those involved in the sector. The two sector leaders presented their perspectives during successive press conferences on November 5 and 6.
They went through the same torments after the slowdown in 2021, which put an end to ten great years of continuous growth for organic. And have demonstrated resilience in the face of the crisis, as graphically expressed Henri Godron, president of the Biocoop cooperative : “The crisis impacted our model, organic missed a step. We held on to the railing and continued up the stairs. »
Tell a story
The parallel ends there. The two specialists share similarities in around a third of their offering and the desire to offer healthy products at affordable prices. For the rest, nothing comparable. Starting with their size. With 1.6 billion euros in turnover for 740 stores scattered throughout France, Biocoop is the organic heavyweight while Naturalia, born in 1973 and bought in 2008 by Monoprix, has never crossed 400 million and remains highly urban and focused on Paris. While the first defines itself as the standard bearer of organic in France, the second has removed all organic from its speeches in 2023 in favor of healthy or natural products. However, he denies having abandoned him. “The AB label is no longer sufficient, justifies Richard Jolivet, general director of Naturalia. The consumer wants to be told a different story. »
Its new concept, La Ferme, is an illustration of this. With its traditional market-style seasonal fruits and vegetables, its race course designed for consumption purposes and its offer made up of 50% raw products and renewed every month, up to 15% via small innovative brands, it has been able to restore the taste for organic consumption in a warm and understandable environment. Sales jumped by an average of 10% in stores converted into Farms, with a gain of 13% additional customers on average.
Naturalia wants to be part of the proximity
Deploy the concept of La Ferme in franchise and rental management.
To work price accessibility with 3,635 products for less than €5.
Develop customer relations in store and through communication.
By the numbers
+ 5 % : levolution of turnover, estimated at 375 M €in 2024
228 stores- including 7 farms and 67 franchise stores
Source: Naturalia
Richard Jolivet, general director of Naturalia“The first seven Fermes were integrated stores in Paris or nearby that we transformed to validate our growth hypotheses, the next ones will open as franchises and/or under rental management and throughout France. »
On the price side, the brand has worked to erase the image of expensive organic with 170 low prices blocked all year round and, each month, 300 products offered on sale. Naturalia also offers a subscription for €4.90 per month offering an additional 10% discount, including on promotions. “Out of 6,000 products on average, 3,635 are sold for less than €5, specifies Richard Jolivet. We are very well positioned in fruits and vegetables. We also have 300 private label products and we will have 400 by the end of 2025. With new red packaging to be better identified on the shelves, carrying the Nutri-score and the Origine-info logo. »
The new president of the company, Philippe Palazzi, also general director of the Casino group which owns Naturalia, did not hesitate to scratch the big organic brother during the press presentation of the seventh Ferme Naturalia, rue de the Convention in Paris, located a few dozen meters from a Biocoop store. “I was able to notice a price gap from a competitor on strong markers like bananas”he said.
Drastic choices
But Biocoop is more concerned with sharing value than with accessibility at all costs and if organic must be affordable, it is in the light of the defense of French sectors, explains the leader of the sector, with in particular 99% of products of French origin on its own brand, 15% local products, and social and solidarity economy initiatives that it promotes through 150 products at committed prices, 10% cheaper than in GSS.
“The brand did not hesitate to make drastic choices such as withdrawing from the offer of organic products marketed by subsidiaries of large groups or stopping the distribution of plastic water bottles, even if it meant cutting out one pocket of turnover »reminds Cédric Ducrocq, president of the Diamart consulting group.
Biocoop wants to reaffirm the values of organic
Defend food sovereignty through an 87% French offer.
Contribute to the social and solidarity economy through products marked with “committed prices”.
Sustain sustainable organic agriculture and fight against ultra-processing.By the numbers
+ 8 % : the evolution of turnover, to €1.6 billion in 2024
740 stores- (+14 in 2024)
Source: Biocoop
Henri Godron, president of the Biocoop cooperative
“Our growth is mainly explained by an increase in attendance. Today we open a new chapter. The organic market has a future. We will continue to share our values which encourage virtuous practices. »
Despite this radical approach, or thanks to it, the brand has managed to gain power without making compromises. The supermarkets' disengagement from organic products has benefited it. “Our growth is mainly explained by an increase in attendance, specifies Henri Godron. Today we open a new chapter. The organic market has a future. We will continue to share our values which encourage virtuous practices. » With the ability to think in the long term thanks to its cooperative model and its governance integrating stores, employees, producers and consumers.
Time is running out for Naturalia, whose ambition today is to gain momentum through franchising and rental management. She has to deal with a Casino group that is in debt to the tune of 1.6 billion and which has not finished paying the social plans in its various brands.
This article is from the November 14, 2024 edition
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