How Supermarkets Source Fresh Produce: Inside the Fruit and Vegetable Buying Market
Fresh produce remains one of the most demanding categories in European supermarket retail. Unlike many packaged grocery products, fruit and vegetables are highly dependent on seasonality, weather, availability, transport, shelf life and quality. For supermarket buyers, sourcing is therefore a constant balancing act between price, quality, continuity of supply and what consumers expect to see in the store.
Carrefour is one of Europe’s major food retailers and has built an extensive network of fresh-produce suppliers across its markets. In Spain alone, Carrefour says it marketed 400 million kilograms of Spanish fruit and vegetables during the latest year, working with around 300 national horticultural suppliers. The company has also increased its focus on local sourcing, with small producers supplying stores close to where the products are grown.
During my recent visit to Paris, I had the opportunity to meet former buyers and professionals from the fruit and vegetable sector and discuss how supermarket sourcing has changed. Among the subjects discussed were supplier selection, pricing, quality control, seasonality, imports, local production and the increasing pressure on retailers to provide fresh produce at competitive prices.
For this special International Supermarket News interview, I spoke with Jean Cartel, a former Fresh Produce Buyer at Carrefour, about what happens behind the scenes before fruit and vegetables reach the supermarket shelf.
Interview with Jean Cartel, Fresh Produce Buyer at Carrefour
Riad Beladi, International Supermarket News: What are the most important factors when a supermarket buyer selects a fruit or vegetable supplier?
Jean Cartel: The first consideration is consistency. A supermarket cannot simply buy a good product once. The supplier must be capable of delivering the required quality and volume consistently throughout the agreed period. Quality, reliability, price, logistics and the ability to respond to changes in demand all play an important role.
Riad Beladi: How important is price when buying fresh produce?
Jean Cartel: Price is extremely important, particularly in a highly competitive supermarket market, but it cannot be considered separately from quality. A low purchasing price does not necessarily represent good value if the product has a high level of waste or does not meet the quality expected by customers. Buyers have to look at the complete picture.
Riad Beladi: How difficult is it to manage seasonality?
Jean Cartel: Seasonality is one of the biggest challenges in fresh produce. Buyers have to plan well in advance and understand where the product will be available, what volumes can be supplied and how weather conditions may affect production. You also need alternative sources because conditions can change very quickly.
Riad Beladi: Has climate change made sourcing more difficult?
Jean Cartel: Absolutely. Weather has always been important in fruit and vegetables, but extreme weather can now create much greater uncertainty. A period of excessive heat, heavy rain or drought can have an immediate effect on availability, quality and prices. Buyers therefore need to have strong relationships with suppliers and understand the risks in different growing regions.
Riad Beladi: How important are local suppliers to a supermarket such as Carrefour?
Jean Cartel: Local sourcing is very important. Customers increasingly want to know where their food comes from, and retailers also benefit from shorter supply chains. Local suppliers can sometimes provide greater freshness and allow the retailer to respond quickly to consumer demand. However, local sourcing has to work alongside international sourcing because supermarkets need products throughout the year.
Riad Beladi: What makes a supplier attractive to a major supermarket?
Jean Cartel: Reliability is essential. A supplier needs to understand the retailer’s requirements and be able to meet them. Communication is also extremely important. When there is a problem with production or availability, the buyer needs to know immediately rather than discovering the problem when the delivery is due.
Riad Beladi: Are supermarkets becoming more demanding about traceability?
Jean Cartel: Yes. Traceability has become increasingly important. Retailers need to know where products originate, who produced them and how they moved through the supply chain. This is particularly important for fresh produce because consumers and retailers expect a high level of transparency.
Riad Beladi: What is the biggest mistake a new fruit and vegetable supplier can make when approaching a supermarket buyer?
Jean Cartel: Focusing only on price. A supermarket buyer is looking for a complete proposition. The supplier must demonstrate quality, reliability, capacity, logistics and the ability to maintain standards. Price will always be discussed, but it is only one part of the relationship.
Riad Beladi: How important are supplier relationships in fresh produce?
Jean Cartel: They are extremely important. Fresh produce is a very dynamic market and circumstances can change quickly. A strong relationship means that both sides can communicate openly and find solutions when something unexpected happens.
Riad Beladi: What do you think will change most in European fresh-produce buying over the next few years?
Jean Cartel: I expect sustainability, traceability, local sourcing and technology to become even more important. At the same time, consumers will continue to demand good quality at affordable prices. The challenge for supermarkets will be to achieve all of these objectives while maintaining a reliable supply throughout the year.
Riad Beladi: Finally, what advice would you give to fruit and vegetable producers who want to work with major European supermarket groups?
Jean Cartel: Understand the retailer and the consumer. Do not simply ask what price the supermarket will pay. Understand what the supermarket needs, what its customers expect and how you can provide a reliable product. If you can combine quality, consistency, competitive pricing and good communication, you have the foundations of a strong relationship.