It is a real family adventure. In July 2001, by taking over Les Serres d’Autoire (Lot), their parents’ horticultural business, Bruno and Lydie Lacaze chose to perpetuate a tradition of almost 56 years. However, taking over the business is a major challenge.
Since July 2001, when they took over the company, the brother and sister have been faced with their first problem: fierce competition from garden centres and supermarkets, which offer products from abroad at extremely low prices, as they confided to our colleagues at Actu.fr.
Bad weather and the Covid crisis followed one another
These new players are causing many closures among small businesses in the sector. This will not be the case for the Lacazes, but they will face much worse. Heatwaves, floods, frost, hail and even the Covid crisis are putting the new owners’ determination to the test. While their morale is at its lowest, unexpected help will appear.
A small group of people decide to lend them a hand, in order to keep this local business alive. Beyond physical help, this support provides a real boost to the morale of the two owners. This first spontaneous gesture could well find a wider echo among those concerned with perpetuating local products. In any case, the doors of the greenhouse are wide open for people wanting to lend a hand.
