If you pass through the village of Baulou (Ariège), your eye will surely be caught by a pretty little wooden caravan parked on the side of the road on which you will read “L’Épicerie d’Ici”. The store, where 152 producers sell their local products, was crowned best grocery store in France ahead of fifty-three other competitors in the Quintessences competition at the Salon des Gourmets on June 10, 2024. A prize which rewards the work of the creator of the place: Christelle Record, calf breeder in Baulou.
“I like competitions. When I play, it’s to win”, she explains. In 2022, it was placed 12e to the Quintessences. Two years later, she wanted to try the adventure again. “I had set an alert so as not to forget the opening of the submission of applications. This time I had a concrete file! » Only a few days after his victory, the effect on attendance “is very clear”. New customers come to do some shopping within 20 m2 of the store where 1,700 references are offered. “We are supplied twice a week with seasonal fruits and vegetables”specifies Christelle Record.
Cold meats, cheeses, beers
The quality of the products sold is not the only strength of the trailer. Here, we also come to look for something authentic. “Customers want to know the story of the products and I can explain to them how they are made and by whom”, adds the farmer. She takes the time to unwrap a tomme for customers to taste and to share her knowledge. “I also organize two to three tastings per year”, she continues. In “L’Épicerie d’Ici”, customers are also looking for social connections and proximity to Christelle Record. “At the end of the month, when the pay has not yet fallen, we make a note and they come to pay it later”she says.
The three most sought-after products are: cold meats, cheese and beer. “If we don’t have one, it’s not even worth it”, she smiled. The average basket is €43. In the trailer, customers must adapt to the arrivals. At the moment, for example, tomatoes are still rare. You have to deal with what nature gives. “We need to acculturate customers”explains Christelle Record.
A success that has lasted since 2021
After testing the drive during confinement, the 50-year-old farmer wanted to open a store “but not a square, glazed… like everyone else”. She asked a village carpenter to build her a trailer. She then placed it on her farm, along a busy road. The success was immediate. “We opened it in October 2021 and we had a lot of turnover in the first month. It has quadrupled since then.welcomes Christelle Record.
Thanks to this craze, spotted by France 3 Occitanie , the grocery store has gained unexpected notoriety. And this summer, there should be even more customers. “I am a volunteer and I have an employee. But for these holidays, I’m going to take on one more employee”, projects the breeder. However, there is no question of enlarging the charming caravan. Two extensions have already opened: a cold room and a fruit and vegetable cellar. The trailer is open every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
