The "Made in France” label, a competitive advantage for your agrifood project

When choosing your future agri-food site, several qualitative criteria should be taken into consideration: proximity to your target markets, transport infrastructure, availability of manpower, etc.

The quality and recognition of the domestic “made in” label should also be taken into account in your set-up project. This is particularly true for agrifood projects where product origins often influence consumer choices.

In this regard, the “made in France” label is a key asset for both entering the French market and attracting consumers abroad.

In this article, we will give you examples of how the “made in France” label can boost your agribusiness.

The “Made in France” label, a response to the expectations of French consumers

If France is a priority market for you, then the “made in France” label is a considerable asset to reach your objectives.

Indeed, according to the IFOP study “The French and the made in France label” from 2018, the country of manufacture is the 3rd most important criterion in the purchase of a product, after the quality and price of the product. 59% of French consumers often (16%) or systematically (43%) look at the country of manufacture.

For 21% of them, it is a lever that influences their purchasing decision. 74% of those surveyed said they were even willing to pay more for a product that is made in France.

There are many reasons for this:

• Help maintain jobs in France
• Support national companies
• Preserve French know-how

In any case, the “made in France” label is a criterion both for an international company looking to set up in France and for a French company considering a relocation of its activity.

The tendency to buy French has even increased with the health crisis, especially for food and beverage products. In 2019, an IFOP study for CEDRE already showed that the French origin of food products was much more important for 90% of respondents than for other product categories.

The “made in France” label, a springboard for exports

The “made in France” label is also a solid argument for export. Indeed, French agri-food products enjoy a positive image worldwide.

In the 2020 assessment of French competitiveness published by Rexecode, international buyers place France on the podium in the agri-food category in terms of non-price criteria. Only Germany and Japan do better.

In the « Made-In-Country-Index », France is one of the top 10 countries that international consumers like the most. For 33% of the world’s population, the “made in France” label is a guarantee of superior quality.

To understand the perception of the “made in France” label abroad, we must take into account the halo effect. International consumers often see French products as an “embodiment” of the French way of life.

They generally have a positive feeling for food products that are made in France, which they associate with French gastronomy. They also see a hedonistic dimension. In addition, the “made in France” label is often combined with an artisanal dimension, implying a limited production of products.

Agrafresh, a company that chose the “made in France” label as a guiding principle for its establishment

The “made in France” label is very advantageous for companies that want to reach the French market. The example of the Belgian SME Agrafresh is particularly enlightening.

The company, which was founded in 2001 in West Flanders, is specialized in the preparation of fresh vegetables and packaged salads. It manages the entire production cycle: growing and harvesting, purchasing and importing, storage and processing. Its clients are large-scale retailers, industrialists and restaurant chains.

When Agrafresh wanted to enter the French market, the company was confronted with an obstacle: customers absolutely wanted products “made in France”. Its CEO, Jan Demarez, decided to invest in a new site in Arras. This investment allowed the company to develop new markets.

Häagen-Dazs and the benefits of the “Made in France” label

Historically present in the United States, Häagen-Dazs, a major stakeholder in the ice cream market, opened its first stores in Europe in the 1980s.
To support the development of the market, the brand decided to set up a production plant in Europe at the beginning of the 1990s.

It chose Arras in Pas-de-Calais for 3 reasons.

“The first reason is the quality and availability of ingredients. Through the Ingrédia dairy cooperative, we work with about 450 farms in the region, and we have a very high quality and availability of our key ingredients, cream and milk, in the Arras area and the Pas-de-Calais region: we therefore had the raw materials in quantity and, above all, in consistent quality over time.” David Caron – Manager Häagen-Dazs Arras

The geographical location of the site at the crossroads of Europe, and the nearby logistics infrastructure were also important factors in the decision to locate here, as were the quality and availability of the workforce.

Today, the Arras site supplies 92 countries around the world. Mr. Caron confirms that the fact that the products are made in France is an asset both for the national market and for export.

For us, the “Made in France” label is an undeniable advantage. In the French market, this is obvious. For the Asian market, and for the entire Asian continent since we deliver 30% of our production to Asia, the fact that we make luxury ice cream that is made in France enhances the image of a quality product. This is clearly an advantage for our market development in Asia.”

If you want to develop on the French market, the “made in France” label clearly makes it easier.

Indeed, French consumers prefer domestic products, especially in the food sector. And, like Agrafresh, the “made in France” label is also an asset for winning new B2B contracts.

Moreover, the “made in France” label is also a springboard for export. In many countries, consumers consider the label as a guarantee of quality.

Why is it the right time to invest in the agri-food sector? Find out here