Agriculture: the delisting of Saint Mamet products at Système U “risks weakening an entire sector”

Système U représente 10 % du chiffre d’affaires réalisé par Saint Mamet. Archives G. L. – MIDI LIBRE

Système U projette de retirer des rayons les produits de Saint Mamet, spécialiste gardois des fruits en conserve. Une décision qui devrait toucher, par répercussion, l'usine de Vauvert et la filière agricole. 

More Saint Mamet products at Système U ? The emerging prospect is extremely worrying Conserve Gard, a historic fruit collection cooperative with close ties to the Vauvert factory.

"If nothing changes, 10% will fly off to the factory at the end of February.& ;quot;

She was the one who sounded the alarm. "At the start of the agricultural crisis, two weeks ago, the management of Agromousquetaires (which owns Saint Mamet, Editor's note) told us the bad news, explains Sébastien Gaquière, president of Keep Gard. From   At the end of February, Système U intends to delist the products of the Vauvert factory (Solarys, Editor's note), i.e. the Saint Mamet products and those of the distributor brand produced in Vauvert. This is a very impactful decision. Of the 60 million total turnover of the Factory, 6 million depend on Système U. If nothing changes, 10% will disappear at the end of February for the factory."

Sales and marketing director at Saint Mamet, Gérard Gillet confirms this threat: The share of Système U in Saint Mamet's turnover is indeed very significant. We were alerted of this decision at the beginning of 2023, but the door was never closed, until the end we wanted to resume discussions. I arrived at my post in September, and I reiterate a call for negotiations. The entire French distribution follows us, except Système U. This will strongly impact the entire chain, including of course the agricultural sector. Système U, like us, comes from the cooperative world. They can reconsider this decision."

"French agriculture is taken hostage"

If Saint Mamet considers himself "weakened" By such a decision, Conserve Gard is also affected: it will be an impact in two stages. Between 2022 and 2023, there was an inflation of 9% on our production costs that the factory was unable to pass on. We will continue to sell our production to the factory, but we are worried in the long term. Because it is still 95% of the production which is swallowed by the Vauvert factory. And French agriculture, like Système U consumers, are held hostage between two large mass retailers."

RN deputies from Gard Yoann Gillet and Nicolas Meizonnet met, this week at the National Assembly, Philippe Gigleux, project manager to the CEO of Système U."If the delisting of the brand Saint Mamet by Système U seems irrevocable, the two parliamentarians obtained from Système U the commitment to put the fruit producers of the Conserve Gard cooperative in touch with the new supplier of Système U (the Rochefontaine company), in order to consider a collaboration allowing farmers to sell their production, writes Yoann Gillet in a press release. A solution that Sébastien Gaquière does not believe in, who points out that Rochefontaine mainly does import-export and does not have a processing plant in the south of France.

Despite our attempts, we were unable to contact Système U management. I subscribe to read more