«It is with deep sadness that the Produit en Bretagne team learned this weekend of the death, at the age of 83, of Jean-Claude Simonits founding president. A visionary who, more than thirty years ago now, surrounded by a few leaders of the agri-food and mass distribution sectors, had this brilliant idea of creating an association that would invite Breton consumers to demonstrate civic spirit by buying quality Breton products, identified by a logo, and which would shine across the 5 departments of historic Brittany “, we can read in a press release from Produit en Bretagne.
Born in the Pagan region, Jean-Claude Simon was the marketing and development director of the Even Group, before becoming the general manager of Even RHD (out-of-home catering), when he was one of the architects of the creation of Produit en Bretagne in 1993. He naturally became its first founding President. While Brittany was going through a difficult period and the economic situation was deteriorating, Jean-Claude Simon and Jean-Marie Le Gall, greenhouse grower and director of the Coopérative La Presqu’île in Plougastel, could not resign themselves to remaining wait-and-see. They had understood that the main issue at the time was employment and maintaining jobs and decision-making centres in Brittany. A hypothesis that was “a priori far-fetched” as they themselves put it then emerged: ” If we told the Bretons, for the same price and identical quality, to buy Breton ” Jean-Claude Simon then explained: “ We thought that the best way to progress would be to have our companies referenced by large retailers and to encourage Bretons to buy regional products. But to succeed, it was important to communicate with consumers and gain their support. ».
Twelve Breton agri-food manufacturers are embarking with Scarmor at their side. This was the fabulous idea (much envied and never equaled) of the yellow and blue logo with its white lighthouse. A logo that signals an act of militant and committed purchasing that can be found 30 years later on more than 4,000 products and which demonstrates that Jean-Claude Simon and the founding team that surrounded him in 1993 were right. They were pioneers and visionaries. Aren’t local purchasing, food sovereignty, reindustrialization and relocation at the heart of national issues since the health crisis? We owe him the spark and the foundations that have shaped what we are today. ” recalls, in the press release, Jean CoisnonPresident of Product in Brittany. Jean-Claude Simon was a committed man. Those who knew him – and I had this chance at a very young age – know his power of persuasion, his immediate charisma and his ability to get ideas across, armed with a unifying smile. In recent years, he still kept an involved view of the association and its future. Jean-Claude was a passionate and thoughtful man, madly in love with Brittany. I offer, with the entire Produit en Bretagne team, our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. ».
The LSA editorial team presents its most sincere condolences to the family of Jean-Claude Simon and to his loved ones as well as to the Produit en Bretagne teams.
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