Commodity chain : Small Spelt of Haute Provence

Background History of the Commodity Chain

The origin of the commodity chain date back to more than 25 years. Moulin Pichard, then located in Grâne (Drôme), decides to switch to bio and becomes the first mill to be labelled "Nature et Progrès" in France. To guarantee its supplies, the company contacts the producers of the Mévouillon region who accept to supply the whole of their still rather limited production. The first CUMA (Co-op for the usage of agricultural equipment) will be created soon after, to organise the important harvesting.

Growing of einkorn had been in the region for many years and was carried out in a traditional way: husking was done manually, on a millstone rotated by a water mill. In the 80's, this cereal, mainly used by its producers, did not have a market. Other flours, based on wheat, were starting to develop on the bio market, but einkorn was mistaken for spelt, its cousin, which is more productive, though not as characteristic.

This is the message producers wanted to put forward and Christine Mabille started making einkorn crepes on the Montfroc trade fair. Didier Peréol, President and founder of Euro-Nat and Claudiine Demay, now Director of Innovation and Development, then discovered the potential of this cereal and decided to add it to the product portfolio of Euro-Nat and to use it to improve the recipes of the PRIMEAL brand.

In 1997, the union of the Petit Epeautre de Haute Provence was founded under the guidance of producers who wished to see the production of einkorn increase and, with the objective to make this cereal, a vital part of their production, a true ambassador of their region, a Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) was created. History was on the move. Volumes started to increase and the relationship set between partners was now a trusting one. All was ready to build on a sound basis and to reach the Bio-Solidaire certification, thus reinforcing awareness with a collective brand name.

More infos about Haute-Provence Einkorn : www.petitepeautre.com

Description of the partnership

For the last 25 years, the relationship between partners has been built on trust and sustainability.

The production of einkorn is more restrictive than that of other cereals due to the IGP requirements (a minimum altitude of 400m, rotation every 3 years on a same piece of land) and to often rigorous pedo-climatic constraints. Willing to engage new producers into this production, partners set forth a three year contract which gives some readability as to medium term development (previsions on volumes), and a yearly contract for each campaign (price, confirmation of volumes, downpayments).

Partners involved committed themselves to a yearly meeting, held mid-September with the objective to:

-Obtain a technical and commercial assessment of the past campaign (analysis of sales, qualitative comments, harvesting assessment for the running year, qualitative comments).

- Confirm purchase needs for the coming campaign.

These yearly meetings can be attended by technical representatives of technical institutes, by representatives of the Drôme Chamber of Agriculture, or by any other organisation with a proficiency in agricultural development. They allow to define a working axis for agricultural conducts, to search for alternative productions and look for means to add value to products and by-products of the farms and companies of the commodity chain.

Partners

-Producers and the Union of Producers of Einkorn in Haute Provence

-SARL M. Tofagne, which takes care of the sorting and of the husking of the einkorn in Haute Provence

-Moulin Pichard, which transforms the einkorn into flour.

-The Drôme Chamber of Agriculture.

Internal Commitment of some of the partners for a sustainable production

Moulin Pichard makes use of its organic waste with a poultry breeder. It has reorganised its working tools to save 15% on electricity. It washes its vehicles in an environment friendly way. It plans to implement a water turbine to produce green electricity. It is now implementing a mutual insurance company.

Euro-Nat has chosen to promote a sustainable development policy for several years, based along the three following lines:

-Economical: sustained growth of the company, investments in transformation tools for the regional agricultural chains (eg. Biscuit production workshops), implementation, wherever possible, of agreements and partnership agreements with suppliers to put the relationship on a long term footing.

-Environmental, with :

- an energy plan

- a water plan

- a waste plan

- a carbon plan itself built on:

• The search for technical solutions with carriers to decrease the carbon impact linked to the activities of the company.

• The creation of carbon wells which would allow to compensate for the emission of greenhouse effect gases. For each commodity chain, a carbon assessment is carried out and compensation is made depending on the results.

-Social: through actions within the company (opening of a bio cafeteria for the company, implementation of a Sustainable – Health – Work program, in partnership with CRAM Rhône-Alpes to fight and anticipate risks at work), and through actions outside the company, relayed by the foundation Nature Vivante.

Companies engaged in this Commodity Chain

EURO-NAT, MOULIN PICHARD