The time of the nursery rhyme is long gone Miller, you are sleeping. Thanks to the Electricity Fairy, “we are like nuclear power, we run continuously and we can start and stop a mill at any time”, notes Guillaume Guénégo. Millers for five generations with production sites in Brittany, Orne and Sarthe, the Guénégos are small players compared to the leading trio of French millers, Moulins Soufflet (InVivo), Grands Moulins de Paris (Vivescia ) and Axiane (Axéréal).
France today has some 384 mills and the sector occupies, according to the National Association of French Milling, nearly 6,100 people directly and 52,000 indirectly. Large or small, its actors came in force to the Sirha Europain, the bakery, pastry and snacking trade show which took place from January 21 to 24 in Paris. Today, the annual tonnage of flour delivered by millers in France stands at around 4 million, but the market is overcapacity compared to demand.
The French eat less bread. Above all, the sector exports less flour to baguette-consuming countries, particularly in Africa. “Many independent millers who have not modernized are also struggling today”observes François-Xavier Quarez, general manager of Episens, the wheat division of InVivo.
“A bit like winegrowers”
At the same time, demand has changed. “Artisanal bakers want “people’s wheat” [blés de terroir]such as poulard, einkorn or red Bordeaux wheat, and flour mixtures to make special or signature breadsexplains Guillaume Guénégo. We work a bit like winegrowers. »
The big millers are becoming more and more proactive. At the origin of names such as the “Label Rouge baguette” or the “ tradition Banette 1900 » obtained with specific flours, they have considerably enhanced their benefits. “At Moulins Soufflet, we have adopted a new flour model and, on the services side, we offer artisans support measures to set up or finance their equipment”develops François-Xavier Quarez.
The “roundabout bakeries”, at the entrances or exits of towns, also arouse the desire of flour millers due to the volumes absorbed. “They are looking for products that are easy to work with and which offer unity of taste throughout their network”, enlightens François-Xavier Quarez. At the forefront of this demand, large producers capture between 25% and 30% of this growing market.