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Despite the slow-down in growth experienced by the fresh-cut sector in Spain, Juan Miguel Floristán, the President of Florette, is optimistic about the challenges ahead.

Do you believe there is still room for new developments in salads?

Absolutely. If you consider other markets abroad it becomes clear that we still have a very basic range of salads. What’s more this category only has 50% penetration in Spanish households which means we still have half of them left to conquer with new products and ideas based on salad.

Florette is a company famous for innovation. What are the latest developments in this respect?

Our “Fresh Moment” range is our latest innovation with four different salads in individual tub format. This format means that a healthy, balanced meal can be eaten at any time and anywhere. Its major feature is that the salad comes in its own individual packaging which is a kind of shaker (in order to mix and eat immediately) complete with dressing and a fork. The range has 4 different types of salad: the Four Cheese Salad (a combination of flat and curly escarole and radicchio with a selection of gouda, cheddar, blue and feta cheese, dressed with an oregano vinaigrette), Caesar Salad with Chicken (flat and curly escarole and radicchio with roast chicken, gouda and cheddar cheese, croutons and Caesar dressing), Tuna Salad (flat and curly escarole and radicchio with tuna, egg, green olives, corn and vinaigrette sauce) and Ham Salad (flat and curly escarole and radicchio with strips of Serrano ham, green olives, croutons and traditional vinaigrette dressing).

And for vegetables – what are the latest formats here?

We have microwave vegetables. After the success we enjoyed with the two items in this range launched four months ago (broccoli, carrot and leak / cauliflower, carrot and courgette), we have decided to extend this range with new products based on 100% natural, fresh vegetables that can be prepared in the microwave in only 5 minutes: broccoli and green beans with turnip and carrot.

Have you ever thought of using fruit in Florette? And what about the pre-cooked convenience food range? Are warm salads with gula (baby eel substitute) a mix of the fresh-cut and the so-called sixth range?

Yes, we are in fact already making and selling sliced apple in bags.

As far as the pre-cooked convenience food range is concerned this is produce that has already been cooked. We still value fresh, natural products so this category doesn’t really fit into our strategy. We do endeavour, however, to supply our customers with a broader range more in line with their tastes and this is why we have included dressings and made some mixed promotions (for example, Florette and Friends www.floretteandfriends.com) with pre-cooked products such as La Gula del Norte, but where the base is still part of the fresh-cut range.

Where are your plans for expansion for both the Group and Europe?

We are hoping to consolidate our company as a leader in the fresh-cut range in Europe. The Florette Group, an affiliate of AGRIAL, has a turnover of 1,700 million Euros and it is trying to strengthen its leading position in Europe now that it has 9 factories in Europe after its acquisition of Tallo Verde.

We are also hoping to become local dealers in other markets with strong demand, such as Italy and Switzerland.

What turnover does Florette have in Spain and how is it growing? How does it figure in the group?

The company is market leader and its strategy is all about focusing clearly on the client. In 2007, its business volume in Spain was in excess of 90 million Euros with 5% growth. The Group had a turnover of 335 million Euros with 12% growth.

The company, with facilities of over 47,000m² and with eight production lines, employs more than 900 people in Navarra, 65% of whom are women.