Savéol

Savéol is the commercial brand of the Coopérative Maraîchère de l'Ouest (CMA SCA SAVÉOL), a French agricultural cooperative specialising in the packing and marketing of fruit and vegetables. The name comes from Breton and means "sunrise". The cooperative is based in Plougastel-Daoulas in the Finistère department of Brittany and brings together around 125 market gardeners from the Brest area. It is the leading marketer of tomatoes in France. The brand's origins lie in a 1974 commercial alliance between two formerly competing cooperatives, the Groupement Maraîcher Brestois and La Presqu'île. In 1980 they created the Société Maraîchère de l'Ouest (SMO), which filed the Savéol trademark in 1981. The cooperatives merged in 2004 to form the SCA SAVÉOL, renamed CMA SCA SAVÉOL in 2015. Savéol markets primarily tomatoes, but also strawberries, cucumbers, mini peppers and samphire. In 2017 it packed and sold 79,000 tonnes of tomatoes and 1,700 tonnes of strawberries, exporting about 10% of its tomato production to Germany, Austria, Poland, Russia, Dubai and Asia. Savéol is known for its "Démarche Nature" approach and for pioneering Integrated Biological Protection (PBI). Its market gardeners breed their own beneficial insects at the "Ferme aux Insectes" in Guipavas, Finistère — an initiative described as unique in France for a producer group — to protect crops naturally instead of using pesticides. The cooperative obtained IFS certification for its tomato production in 2013 and Global G.A.P. certification for 100% of its tomato surfaces in 2014. It also revived the emblematic Plougastel strawberry in 1996 using an innovative suspended-garden growing technique. Savéol positions itself as a responsible, quality-focused brand rooted in Brittany. Its communication highlights pesticide-free tomatoes, the insect farm, and the farmers behind the products. The brand is carried by the Produit en Bretagne label and claims 2,500 induced jobs. It remains a private cooperative, owned by its member growers.

Savéol's history begins in 1974, when two formerly competing cooperatives in the Brest area — the Groupement Maraîcher Brestois (GMB) and La Presqu'île — began joint commercialisation efforts. A handful of visionary leaders from these cooperatives created Savéol, a name meaning "sunrise" in Breton, with the ambition of concentrating supply and fully valorising their products. In 1980, the Société Maraîchère de l'Ouest (SMO) was created to market the production of the two cooperatives, and in 1981 SMO filed the Savéol trademark. In 1983, the GIE La Croix was launched, which would become Savéol Nature in 2013. From the outset, Savéol's growers were pioneers in Integrated Biological Protection (PBI), creating their own insect breeding operation to protect crops naturally — an initiative still unique in France among producer groups. Internationalisation began in 1991 with the first exports to Germany. In 1996, Savéol revived the emblematic Plougastel strawberry using an innovative suspended-garden growing technique. In 1993, tomato producers from the Val Nantais joined the company, though they left in 2014. In 2004, the cooperatives merged to create the Société Coopérative Agricole (SCA) SAVÉOL, which in 2015 became the Coopérative Maraîchère Agricole (CMA) SCA SAVÉOL. In 2011, Savéol celebrated its 30th anniversary. In 2013, it obtained its first IFS certification for tomato production, and in 2014 it achieved Global G.A.P. certification for 100% of its tomato surfaces. By 2018, three out of four French people said they knew the brand, mainly through its tomatoes. The cooperative is based in Plougastel-Daoulas and groups around 125 market gardeners from the Brest region. It is the leading marketer of tomatoes in France. Its growers protect their tomato crops using "friendly" insects bred at the Ferme aux Insectes in Guipavas, Finistère, which is open to visitors during school holidays and by reservation throughout the year. In 2017, the cooperative packed and sold 79,000 tonnes of tomatoes and 1,700 tonnes of strawberries, and about 10% of tomato production was exported to Germany, Austria, Poland, Russia, Dubai and Asia. It also markets cucumbers, mini peppers and samphire, and promotes its growers' produce through the Produit en Bretagne label. The cooperative declared 2,500 induced jobs in 2017.

• 2018

  Three out of four French people claim to know the brand.

• 2017

  Packed and sold 79,000 tonnes of tomatoes and 1,700 tonnes of strawberries; 110 market gardeners; 2,500 induced jobs.

• 2015

  SCA SAVÉOL becomes CMA SCA SAVÉOL.

• 2014

  Global G.A.P. certification obtained for 100% of tomato surfaces.

• 2013

  First IFS certification for tomato production; GIE La Croix becomes Savéol Nature.

• 2011

  Savéol celebrates its 30th anniversary.

• 2004

  Merger of cooperatives creates SCA SAVÉOL.

• 1996

  Savéol revives the Plougastel strawberry using suspended-garden cultivation.

• 1993

  Tomato producers from Val Nantais join the company (leave in 2014).

• 1991

  Start of internationalisation: first exports to Germany.

• 1983

  Launch of GIE La Croix, which became Savéol Nature in 2013.

• 1981

  SMO files the Savéol trademark.

• 1980

  Creation of Société Maraîchère de l'Ouest (SMO) to market the two cooperatives' production.

• 1974

  Commercial alliance between Groupement Maraîcher Brestois and La Presqu'île cooperatives; Savéol created.

Responsible, quality-focused French cooperative brand, leader in tomatoes, pioneering pesticide-free and biological protection methods.

• Tomatoes

  Primary product; leader in France; pesticide-free range under Démarche Nature.

• Strawberries

  Includes the revived Plougastel strawberry.

• Cucumbers

  Part of the vegetable range.

• Mini peppers

  Part of the vegetable range.

• Samphire

  Part of the vegetable range.

1. 1Accueil | Saveolsaveol.com
2. 2Notre histoire | Saveolsaveol.com
3. 3Savéolfr.wikipedia.org
4. 4Wikidata Q2375204wikidata.org