• Visitor's opinion

They have been to the last few Cheese and Dairy Products Show

 

M. Fréderic Peyronnet, Head of the Dairy Group for INTERMARCHE,  

They are "specialist" exhibitions where you are just as likely to find what we call the "major stores" (cooperatives, retailers, wholesalers, etc.) as you are to find small retailers and refiners. So obviously our group is very interested in this professional forum.

We know 90% of the exhibitors, but that still leaves 10% that we don't know - companies we have yet to find out about, and first and foremost, we are interested in meeting new SMEs at the Cheese and Dairy Products Show. 

It's also an opportunity for us to meet all the producers in the industry - something we can't always do at other events held throughout the year by our sales representatives. This particularly applies to the SMEs.

 

Mme Rachel Perez, Associate Team Leader of the Speciality Department at WHOLE FOODS MARKET  

Of course I'll come this year - it's very important for us. I will be with 3 colleagues from the US and 3 from London.

Most of all, we are interested in meeting traditional producers. Our aim in 2008 was to select a Tomme de Savoie. After 6 to 8 samplings, we made our choice. We are still thinking about what we are hoping to get out of our visit this year.

 

Nowadays, 10% of all cheeses, between 40 and 50% of all AOC/PDO cheeses and even 80% of all farmhouse cheeses are bought from dairy/cheese professionals and refiners".

And it's these products that are generating growth for dairy/cheese professionals: "products that have taste, products that are produced using traditional means, cheeses made from unpasteurised milk, refined cheeses, cheeses made from local breeds, cheeses with AOC status... products that are created by farmers/producers who are passionate about the work they do." As far as M. OLIVIER is concerned, "if the product provides good value for money, then the consumer is interested. Nowadays, cheeses are associated with notions of pleasure and sharing - and that's what customers are looking for today".

Passion, enthusiasm, dynamism, good-quality products, tradition, future... these are all words that we associate with the dairy/cheese profession - a profession which is being showcased at the Cheese and Dairy Produce Exhibition from 28 February to 3 March 2010...