The 26th of September marked the official start of the 2022 season for the PDO Walnut of Grenoble. The season looks promising. “We are expecting a very nice walnut harvest this year with volumes reaching approximately 7,000 tons, including 1,000 tons of organic walnuts. We had some concerns due to the drought this summer, but the rain arrived at the right time and we are now finally optimistic about this 2022 harvest. The calibers are smaller than usual due to the lack of water, but the quality is very good this year. Three weeks into the campaign, we have not received any negative feedback,” explains Christine Bonnet, sales representative of the cooperative.
PDO Walnut of Grenoble: rigorous control for optimal quality
For Coopenoix, quality is a core value, made all the more significant by the fact that the cooperative offers walnuts with the prestigious “PDO Walnut of Grenoble” label. “Each year, the harvest date is defined by the Interprofessional Committee for the Walnut of Grenoble (CING). We must wait to start the harvest until the walnut has reached optimal quality. Besides, we follow very strict specifications in terms of orchard management which guarantees optimal traceability. All these measures ensure the exceptional quality of the Walnut of Grenoble.
A difficult struggle against increasingly aggressive competition
By offering French walnuts of great quality, the cooperative has a major advantage to maintain its place in France and abroad in an increasingly competitive market. “Quality is one of our main assets compared to other origins. We are known for the quality of our walnuts and, although the pressure on the market has been increasing, this allows us to keep our clients. The US is our biggest competitor. But China is also a big producer of walnut and Chile has planted a lot in recent years so it will certainly be more present on the French and European market. We find it surprising that while there is a growing trend for products “made in France”, we struggle so much to keep our position on the market. We import walnuts from the other side of the world, while we have everything we need right here in France.”
Favoring local products to preserve the sector
In its constant search for quality, Coopenoix also wanted to emphasize its desire to offer a product that is 100% local. “We sell whole nuts as well as kernels. For this, we have our own crushing equipment. From production to processing and packing, everything is done on site for maximal coherence with our values and for an even better quality. Our cooperative therefore has a real impact in the region. We encourage our clients to consume local products (on a national or even European scale) for the quality of the products, but also to preserve all these local productions in the medium and long term. Importing products such as walnuts which are already available locally is clearly a mistake environmentally-speaking, but the impact on local farms in France should not be underestimated.”
A tailored and responsive service for each client
The production of Coopenoix is sold on the French market, as well as in Europe (Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, Spain…) and outside of Europe. The cooperative is also very active in the development of new markets, supplying supermarkets and companies in the food service sector (suppliers, pastry chefs, restaurants) with whole walnuts and kernels from 125g to 800kg.
“We have different varieties of walnuts such as the Franquette, Mayette and Parisienne which make up the PDO Walnut of Grenoble. Sometimes, we favor the Franquette variety in our communication, which benefits from a nice reputation in some areas. We also have the Lara variety, with calibers that are larger than the previous varieties. The Lara walnut is also more round and it is very popular on some markets. Finally, we have the Fernor variety, from the Franquette, which is developing well and really deserves to be known. We sell our walnuts in bags and in bulk. Last year, we launched paper bags for the organic products and this year, we are launching recyclable plastic bags. In addition to this varied choice of packaging, we are committed to offering a fast delivery service to our clients, our objective being to adapt to the demand from our clients by offering them quality and impeccable service.”
