Groupe Holder

2008 saw unprecedented fluctuations in raw material prices. How did the group react to this ?

David Holder :This flare-up in raw material prices was totally speculative and unfounded. Fortuna-tely, this is only a temporary phenomenon. A year later and the market prices have returned to normal. Even though in our businesses we are covered for up to 12 months in certain markets, we nevertheless felt the full-on effects of these price rises.

Maxime Holder :We wanted to avoid passing on these increases in the selling prices of our products, and this has affected our 20/80.

We decided to tackle the problem in a different way by re-examining our recipes, rationalising our product ranges and adapting a number of our raw materials.

Elisabeth Holder : These price hikes also led us to reexamine the possibility of optimising a number of our processes. Particular efforts were made to rationalise packaging and consequently logistics costs.

In a difficult economic situation, in what ways is the baking and pastry-making sector an advantage ?

MH : Bread is a simple product and bakery products form the cornerstone of our daily diets.

EH : Bread is part of our culture, and something we can't do without. Our clients come along to purchase a high quality product at the right price. The baking sector is also a source of reassurance.

MH : J’ajouterai, qu’au-delà du pain, dans nos maisons, on donne aussi à nos clients la possibilité de s’offrir le petit luxe accessible du quotidien. Une pâtisserie ou une viennoiserie, un chocolat chaud… Nous restons sur de petits paniers moyen.
Much of our business comes from small to medium purchases.

DH : Yes, and through our products, our brands offer more than just bakery or confectionery items. They sell tradition, taste and know-how. In such difficult times, at least our businesses have this valuable card to play, because although they continue to purchase their little treats, our customers are nevertheless being a little more careful. More than ever before, we need to sell a dose of fantasy with our products. These need to be both differentiated products and high quality products.

Would you describe the HOLDER group as a driving force in the market ?

MH : “Never rest on your laurels”. Whatever the field in question, our group always sets its sights firmly on the future, while wholeheartedly maintaining its vital link with the past. PAUL can be very proud of the fact that it was a pioneer in the bakery sector and that it has significantly contributed to building up the French market. It has also been frequently imitated but never equalled. Even today, its slightest acts set the whole profession in motion.

DH :Very few groups can claim 120 years of tradition. We draw our strength from our history and our spirit of conquest. When we arrive in undeveloped markets with PAUL or LADURÉE we are backed by our solid track record and our ability to offer something new. On the other hand, in more competitive markets we make an impact thanks to the typically French taste that we offer, in an ultra-French setting brimming with that unique French art de vivre.

In both cases, we offer something very powerful and striking. In this respect yes, we can be seen as a driving force in the market.

EH : CHÂTEAU BLANC has also been positioned in this way. In an ultra-competitive market, the group decided to focus on the rationalized quality segment. The group's new ideas and new concepts have influenced consumption patterns and led to the emergence of trends. The technical advances achieved by CHÂTEAU BLANC with its production lines, which are unique of their kind in the world, make us an avant-garde front runner in these markets. The clear aim of anyone seeking to be a genuine driving force.