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The soil will benefit from the wave "Made in France"

Regional producers of France chasing European labels. On 20 March the European Commission awarded the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in sea salt. "This is great news that we have awaited for a long time," says Gregory Pitard, president of the Association for the promotion of artisanal salt (Aprosela). To date, 191 French products – and some 375 wines – benefit from a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) or PGI, a total of 1092 products. And forty cases are still awaiting a decision from Brussels, whose Livarot, mussels from Bouchut, Camembert de Normandie, chestnuts from Ardèche, rillettes of Tours or the Montbéliard sausage. "Producers voluntarily impose new constraints in their manufacturing process to protect their knowledge against usurpation and imitation," says the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO).

European labels have not only a protective role. "Over time, the IGP is a business advantage," said the president of the Aprosela. In fact, 42.3% of French people think that promoting products "Made in France" should be a priority in the presidential campaign, according to a study site Testntrust. "The geographic origin of a product is an important choice for consumers, although it is difficult to measure its impact," says Jean-Louis Benassi, director of the inter Unicid ciders. A view shared by Alexis Martinod Savoîcime director, representing the Tomme de Savoie. "Achieving the required level of quality has a cost that justifies the eyes of our customers, a sales price sometimes better than others," said he. For the INAO, "buying a local product is often a militant act because, in the spirit of the French, it provides a livelihood for local channels, or even a region where the context is sometimes difficult, as the Lozere or the Ardeche. "

Europe also protects Chinese garlic …

With these labels, producers sometimes enjoy support from the regions or departments to complete their development projects. Chain of Tomme de Savoie, for example, spends an annual budget of 25,000 euros to research. Regional producers can expand their markets. "Our products are particularly relevant to retailers," says Franck Pernot du Breuil, president of the inter Fraise du Périgord. In recent years, retailers have expanded their range by playing the card of the soil. Like with its Carrefour brand Reflets de France, or E. Leclerc Our Regions of Talent.

"Retailers often do not put forward our signature Fraise du Périgord because they want to promote their own brands," says Franck however Pernot du Breuil. "As a result, consumers may not know these labels and the qualitative approach they impose on our business." The boost from the European Union can also lead to unexpected setbacks. Last October, Brussels has angered producers of French, Italian and Spanish by registering as a PGI Chinese garlic Jinxiang Da Suan, facilitating the coup its import and marketing in Europe. Meanwhile, in France, smoked garlic Arleux still waiting for the distinction.

Quality labels and home: how to find

In France, nearly one in two farmers engaged in an official sign identifying the quality and origin. In 2010, these signs represented a turnover of 19 billion euros in the first market, according to INAO, which recalls the specifics of these signs guaranteed and recognized by the State: …… ..

• The designation of origin (AOC) means a product including all stages of manufacturing (production, processing and preparation) are made according to know-how in the same geographical area. For example, the St. Nectarios can not be manufactured in only part of the Auvergne from milk from the area.

• The designation of origin (PDO) is the European equivalent of the AOC. The name of a product is protected throughout the EU. Products that have earned this distinction, there is Chablis, Roquefort, Brie de Meaux, olive oil from Corsica or Bresse chicken.

• The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) is a product whose characteristics are related to the geographic location at which occurs at least its production or processing according to well defined conditions. The ravioli of Dauphine, the Camargue rice and Bayonne ham are among the 107 products that have obtained the PGI in France.

• The traditional specialty guaranteed (TSG) is a European label that protects a traditional recipe. To date, no French product holds this sign, which was however awarded Serrano ham or Gueuze beer. The farmed mussels and Emmental filed an application with the European Commission in 2006 and 2011.

• The Red Label is a sign that French refers to products with higher quality compared to other similar products, thanks to their conditions of production or manufacture. This is awarded to agricultural and food products such as smoked salmon, chicken, cheese or sausage.

• Organic farming (AB) production method ensures environmentally and animal welfare. The rules regulating the organic production method are the same throughout Europe, and imported products are subject to the same requirements.  

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Eurozone: agreement to a firewall 800 billion

The seventeen countries of the euro reached an agreement Friday to raise 500 to 800 billion euros their "firewall" against financial crisis. Germany has dropped the ballast, but the compromise is far from meeting the expectations of the European Commission, IMF and OECD.

The envelope, which represents a theoretical capacity of loans, includes three components: 500 000 000 000 ahead for the European Stability Mechanism (SPM) which will be launched in July, 200 billion already committed by the temporary fund established in 2010 (EFSF) and 100 billion in loans already spent or pledged various EU.

This elaborate structure – and perhaps questionable because it mixes future and past – allows everyone to say it held its position. For Germany, it was essential to avoid having to raise the ceiling of the MES to avoid another vote in the Bundestag payday loan. Wolfgang Schäuble, the favorite in the race for the presidency of the Eurogroup, but agreed to keep alive a year for the EFSF, which temporarily inflate the pot.

In contrast, those that grew as the French Baroin a figure of around 1 trillion, did not get satisfaction. Discussed in Copenhagen, the project of an additional tranche of 240 billion to be used "in exceptional circumstances", has disappeared from the final declaration of the Eurogroup. Here too, Berlin has been successful. But the question remains the strength of the new firewall in the event of a major financial accident, involving, for example Spain or Italy.

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Fuel: rising employment pummel

What relationship between soaring pump prices and unemployment? According to economist Etienne Wasmer, Professor at Sciences Po Paris, of high fuel prices could deter some French to take a job: "Rising fuel prices, draping in the cost of traveling between home and work, could have a negative effect on employment. "

Difficult to say how many people are in this case. But it is possible to draw a sketch of the ideal victim of rising fuel prices. "It affects rather low wages, those who have little hope of earning more by working away," says Régis Bigot, Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions (documentary credit). In sum, the French low-skilled, paid at minimum wage, usually working part time.

Jack Daniel's looking for acquisitions

The owner of Jack Daniel's is in better shape than ever. Not only are sales of Tennessee whiskey, the fifth alcohol brand in the world after Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Bacardi and Absolut, are distributed in the U.S., but exports and accelerate the sales of other brands of Brown-Forman, whose Finlandia premium vodka and tequila El Jimador, is still growing as fast.

In total, the U.S. group Brown-Forman is getting ready to buckle on April 30 its 2011-2012 fiscal year with sales up 4% on a comparable basis compared to last year, when they reached 3.4 billion dollars. Operating profit is expected to jump by 8% (855 million last year). "In this sector, where the top ten players realize only 25% of the world, the race for size is not necessarily the best strategy, says Le Figaro Paul Varga, his boss. With margins generated by the sale of spirits, medium-sized groups can succeed. "Listed on Wall Street, the group founded in 1870, whose heirs hold 175 two-thirds of the voting rights, is somehow anti -Pernod Ricard. The French, whose objective is to steal the place of Diageo spirits market, multiplies decade mega-acquisitions: Seagram, Allied Domecq, Absolut. He expects to have reduced its debt to pursue the quest for external growth.

A group without debts

The U.S., he does not caress such dreams of grandeur, seeming satisfied with his seventh place in the world rankings, just ahead of the Italian Campari. Its leaders and family shareholders are vigilant, however. They not only take care not to fall prey, but they remain on the lookout for acquisition opportunities all medium.

This is the group's strategy since Prohibition. From 1920 to 1933, Brown-Forman was one of four U.S. companies authorized to produce alcohol for medical use. He took the opportunity to redeem distilleries … Virtually no debt, it now has a debt capacity estimated at 4 billion. "We will add more vodka brands to expand our portfolio, especially in entry and mid-range," said Paul Varga. The skipper, who wishes to expand in Central and Eastern Europe in this segment precludes a "no comment" to questions about his possible interest in Sobieski vodka for sale by the Franco-Polish Belvedere ( Marie Brizard, William Peel cash advance loan…).

France, emerging country

Brown-Forman, confident in the potential of the worldwide whiskey category, is also interested in acquisitions of brands of scotch whiskey and irish, based on barley, while Kentucky bourbons and Tennessee whiskeys are composed of 51% corn.

He finally target acquisitions enabling it to accelerate the internationalization of its flagship brand Jack Daniel's. Redemptions of Finlandia (2000) and El Jimador (2007) enabled him to acquire distributors in Central and South America. The group now has distribution subsidiaries in ten countries. What less dependent on its partnerships with competitors where it does not have the critical size. In most cases, as in France, he confided to the marketing of its Bacardi bottles. Then he realized in 2001 over three quarters of its sales in the U.S., this market last year represented only 45% of its turnover.

Outside the U.S., Brown-Forman does not fight on the same land as Diageo and Pernod Ricard. "Our emerging markets are different from those of our European competitors, says Mark McCallum, commercial director of the group. We continue to build on the country they regard as mature, with the aim to gain market share in France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine. "However, China and Brazil, the group sets objectives in the medium and long term. "To impose on the Chinese market today is expensive. And the risk of counterfeiting is high. As Diageo and Pernod Ricard are not fighting, we prefer to go elsewhere, "said Paul Varga, who nevertheless seeks to buy a brand of Baiju, the more alcohol sold in the country

.

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Japanese whiskey is attracting more and more

If there are four or five years, Japanese whiskeys fell almost an anecdote, it is clear that the Japanese distilleries were located largely in the market for Liquor Stores. Of the four best whiskeys in the world, two are once more for the Japanese edition of the 2012 World Whiskies Awards, organized by Whisky Magazine. The setting was won in the categories best blended whiskey in the world by Taketsuru 17 years old Nikka from home, and in the category best single malt whiskey in the world with the Yamazaki 25 year old house Suntory.

The Japanese group Suntory is the origin of Japanese whiskeys, in the 1920s. It has two distilleries (Yamazaki and Hakushu) located in northern Japan, which develop blended and single malt whiskeys. The diversified industrial group also owns three Scottish distilleries. Its direct competitor, Nikka, a subsidiary of another giant, Asahi, came a little later (1952) in this segment. And also owns a distillery in Scotland. By themselves, these two houses share almost the entire market of Japanese whiskey world.

If the brand is more Nikka located on the French and European market, notably through the House of Whiskies, which has exclusive, Suntory is positioned more on the U.S. market. Thierry Benitah, CEO of the House of Whiskies, said: "The entry level and mid-range is slightly more expensive for Japanese whiskey over Scotch whiskey, but for more upscale products, including oldest, Japanese whiskey is cheaper, same quality. " It takes only 30 euros for a Japanese whiskey entry level (in comparison, one of the brands of Scotch whiskey sold in the world, Label 5, costs 12 euros). In amount in the range, Japanese whiskeys are between 150 and 650 euros, the price may even go up to 10,000 euros a bottle for a 50 years old.

France, the second consumer of Japanese whiskey

In 2010, according to the International Wine and Spirit Research (IWSR), it is consumed in the world 81 million liters of whiskey Japanese, representing 3 payday advance.2% market share of all whiskeys. Global consumption of whiskey, all confused, totaled nearly 2.7 billion liters. The United States are the largest importers of Japanese whiskey, with a volume of 5.2 million liters. France comes second with just under 3 million liters (2.9 million).

In 50 years, the French have adopted the whiskey. They are the biggest consumers of single malt Scotch whiskey, with 135 million bottles per year, or more than two bottles per person. In comparison, Americans consume 125 million bottles annually, depending on the portal Planetoscope.

Japanese whiskeys, more subtle and sweet

How to explain this craze for Japanese whiskey? Keinta Minari, head of the division of Suntory whiskey for France, gives some keys to this success: "One explanation lies in the style of Japanese whiskey, which is subtle and complex, where Scotch whiskey will be more strong and sturdy. "A view shared by Thierry Benitah of the House of Whiskies" Japanese whiskey is more accessible than the scotch in terms of taste. Unlike Scotch whiskeys, which have a slight bitterness on the finish, Japanese whiskeys receive a final grade soft, chewy and sweet "

According to Pierre Tissandier, head of the cellar Whisky Lodge in Lyon, and previously head of Diageo whiskeys, this development is surprising, "the Japanese whiskey differs from Scotch whiskeys including a search of the exotic, but also by a marketing and a highly developed packaging. " The Scottish distilleries would suffer a certain archaism, where Japanese whiskeys are more modern and stylish.

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World Bank: Obama wants Dr. Jim Kim

This choice is a surprise. A native of Korea, physician training, graduate of Harvard and Brown, Jim Yong Kim is not known in international financial circles. However it is in the world of health and development, particularly for his efforts against AIDS and tuberculosis. He specifically directed the Department to Fight against AIDS of the World Health Organization.

The management of the development institution is traditionally an American, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has always been attributed to a European. The odds of Jim Yong Kim selection by the board of directors of the bank amounted to the extent that the United States, the largest shareholder of the World Bank, has the support of European countries, Japan and many countries emerging.

Hours before the announcement by President Obama, South Africa had formally proposed that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigerian Finance Minister, and former World Bank director, succeeds Robert Zoellick, whose term as U payday lenders.S. President the bank comes to an end in late June. As at the choice of Christine Lagarde last June to head the IMF, rich countries have promised an emerging open and transparent process of selection that results in the designation of the most qualified candidate. Despite this commitment, developing countries find that their chances to win one of them are tiny. Their inability to agree on a single candidate is indeed an enormous handicap.

Jim Yong Kim is expected in the coming days begin a journey in the great capitals of the world to present his candidacy and convince shareholders of the World Bank of the correctness of its strategy to fight poverty and underdevelopment.

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HP leverages its printers to revive his PC

This is the first major policy decision announced by Meg Whitman, CEO of HP since September. PC and printer divisions of the group will be merged, as the company said Wednesday.

Since arriving at the head of the company, Meg Whitman will finally been consistently good the consequences of the announcement in August by his predecessor, Leo Apotheker. The latter had then referred to the release or surrender of HP's PC division. Which cost him his job and has had a disastrous impact on group sales. During the last quarter of HP – ended Jan. 31 – Sales of the division plunged 18% in volume and its revenues fell 15%. At the same time, the printer division saw sales fall by 7%. Combined, the two product divisions of the group will represent half of total HP revenue (127 billion). The other portion going mainly to dynamic two divisions: services and servers.

Since September, the world's number one PC had to swallow a few snakes. In particular, see Apple proclaim everywhere the last quarter, he had sold "more PCs that HP iPad". Although the difference is played with one digit after the comma, the comparison is no less painful for HP, which more conspicuous by its absence in the segment of tablets. Worse, Chinese Lenovo continues to gain market share and HP could double by the end of the year payday loan no faxing.

Reduce costs

In the last quarter of 2011, the worldwide market share from HP in the PC fell to 16%, while Lenovo has risen to second place with 14% market share. In one year, the gap between the two groups was reduced by 6 points. But the U.S. does not intend to cede its global leadership without a fight.

Todd Bradley, appointed to head the new entity, will have the burden to reinvigorate PC sales and reverse in printers. HP also aims to achieve further cost reductions through this merger. Savings could indeed be generated in the supply and marketing of equipment. While the line between professional and individual equipment fades, it becomes increasingly important to industry players to establish their brand. This allows to charge prices a bit higher, as does Apple. A point particularly important that the owner of HP has already said a return of the group on the market shelves were not excluded.

The announcement of the reorganization was moderately popular with Wall Street. At the opening, the title has sold 2.23%. Todd Bradley, former head of Palm, is known to cause the redemption of Palm in 2010 by HP for $ 1.2 billion. Instead, Vyomesh Joshi, head out of the printer division, was reputed to have doubled the operating margin for this division.

Recession: Greece wants to believe she sees the end of the tunnel

The plight of Greece will not last more than two additional years. This is at least the promise of the Greek prime minister, Lucas Papademos. "I am convinced that we made more than half way to economic recovery, even if the fiscal consolidation process will take longer. Of positive growth rates should be achieved by less than two years, "suggests he in an interview with Financial Times.

This statement comes as Greece is to receive on Monday from the European Union an additional EUR 5.9 billion. This is the first installment of the second aid package of 130 billion euros granted to Greece in early March. This loan comes new monumental adjustment efforts on the part of Greece, such as lowering the minimum wage by 20% as the country had adopted earlier this year to convince its European partners to help new .  

Mea culpa European

For its part, the President of the Eurogroup Jean-Claude Juncker, made his mea culpa in the Greek press. "I think we did not sufficiently focused on the dimension of growth to the general problem of Greece. We especially emphasized the consolidation of public finances without giving alternative or leave the choice to Greece, the official said center-right daily Kathimerini. We have been hard towards fiscal consolidation, but very low in relation to the other important parameter, that of growth. "

Same story on the side of specialists missioned to Athens to recover the Greek state cheap credit report. "Greece has achieved something unique by testing the limits of what could accept and support people, said this weekend the head of the technical mission of the European Commission, Germany's Handelsblatt Horst Reichenbach. We will not forget. "These statements by European officials" let dawn a change of tone, "Analysis Jesus Castillo, an economist at Natixis:" Even if the strategy is led by the North, led by Germany, one can rejoice that growth is better taken into account to support structural measures very hard ".

Five years of recession

Greece entered its fifth consecutive year of recession. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised downwards its growth forecast last week. He believes the country should emerge from recession in 2013, but he is expected to grow anywhere that year. Meanwhile, business is expected to decline by 4.8% in 2012 (after -6.9% in 2011) and the Greek State should continue its efforts to reform itself. According to the latest European Commission report on Greece, published last Friday, Athens has not made sufficient efforts to combat tax evasion and privatize public enterprises.

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Suicides: Post freezes its reorganization

Unions of La Poste have been heard. Rocked by three suicides in six months, the postal group has taken the measure of social malaise that reigns within its walls. According to the Journal du Dimanche, its CEO, Jean-Paul Bailly, is expected to announce Monday a suspension until September of the reorganization of the branch e. A break of nearly six months during which discussions will be held with employees to improve their working conditions. At the local level, first, the regional offices of the Post Office will begin negotiations on the reduction of work patterns in post offices. At the national level, then, Jean-Paul Bailly launch the establishment of a "social warning unit" and could also release a budget to support the weakest agents, specify the sources cited by the weekly Sunday. Contacted by The Figaro.fr, the group was not immediately available for comment.

La Poste has accelerated its timetable for ending the crisis, after the suicide last Sunday as part of a group in Britain. In a folder left behind, this forty, who had been off long illness since November and was found hanged at his place of work in Brittany, had denounced a hard three years from its hierarchy. This was the second suicide in Breton Post in ten days. February 29, Jeremy Buan, a senior of 28 years, had committed suicide by jumping from the top floor of La Poste in Rennes, in the Ille-et-Vilaine. He too had reported his "outstanding work" in a letter released by his partner. Immediately, the Post Office had opened on Tuesday for talks with the unions on "health and welfare at work", promising that "proposals" would be made "before summer".

The bracketing, albeit provisional, of the restructuring of the business mail should satisfy the unions who denounced social climate "anxiety" since the suicide last September of a 52-year employee who was, also, défenestrée the fourth floor of the financial center of the 15th arrondissement in Paris payday loans. "This situation is unfortunately not unique to the post office," said Antoine Le Séguillon this week, a union representative GSC in Figaro.fr. "And it is not unique to Britain," he said hoping that the leadership would engage quickly "concrete actions".

Action plan against erosion mail

Faced with the erosion of its mail business, which it considered that the volumes would collapse by 30% over 2008-2015, the Post Office had drawn a new plan in 2009. Jean-Paul Bailly had emphasized that this branch should "reinvent themselves" by offering new services. Gradually, the schedules of post offices have been extended throughout France, robots have been installed to reduce waiting times for customers and, last September, The Post has completely redesigned its line of mail.

A strategy that has "paid off", welcomed the group during the presentation of its annual results on March 8. While lower volumes continued with a decrease of 3%, after falling 3.3% in 2010, the mail business recorded a turnover stable at EUR 11.5 billion (+ 0.3%), more than half of the total activity of La Poste. But for the unions, these good results have been costly to employees. According to the CGT, it was obtained "at a price of 10,091 job cuts" and an increase in sick leave.

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Roses Delbard change hands

The roses will bloom again next year in the nursery Delbard. But the vast area of ​​600 acres in Malice (Allier) will have changed hands once again. The history of the empire built by George Delbard in the 1930s, long and consists of garden land production, has not been smooth sailing.

Outlets have been closed or sold, and the Commercial Court of Montluçon decide Monday the fate of the production unit Delbard nurseries of roses and fruit trees. Two bids were reviewed for the company Friday, went into receivership 18 November 2011 and followed since by the administrator Gregory Wautot. One meets Henry and Arnaud Delbard, son and grand-son of the founder, who plan to invest 650,000 euros and keep 54 of 122 employees.

The competing offer comes from Muriel Devoucoux, founder of the company Nurseries Tronçais, associated with the Targa Capital funds. It plans to invest an equivalent amount and retain 51 jobs. "This is more likely. It offers the most sustainable for Delbard, which enjoys a solid reputation, but whose production systems and marketing must be reviewed by a specialist in horticulture, "says a close case.

This experience is most needed to the current owners, the family Torck, which took the entire capital in 2005 from the hands of fund IDI and Henri Delbard. The latter was for seven years in charge of horticulture at LVMH, owner of Delbard, to try to translate his techniques of roses to the vineyards of Moët-Hennessy. The failure was at the height of the ambition of Torck, founder of the brand family clothing Camaïeu. Jean-Pierre Torck was the top spot with its sign of Delbard garden, where roses were marketed its own. He appointed a former Leroy Merlin CEO, responsible for modernizing and growing network of stores very disparate. Within two years, the number of garden centers to the iconic red-and yellow rose has doubled. Delbard has owned up to 35 and counted up to 1,000 employees.

Strategy too expensive

This strategy proved too costly. The Torck invested 80 million euros. In addition, "other garden centers, nursery clients Delbard sanctioned policy Torck, which came to compete directly," says one expert. The nursery has seen sales decline, from 8.7 million in 2008 to 7.4 million euros in 2011.

In 2010, the family Torck has agreed to sell 20% stake in the nursery, deficit, Nalod's group, which operates garden centers around Saint-Etienne. Especially, the latter took over the distribution brand, 14 garden centers and the website Delbard. Today's has 17 stores Nalod Delbard own, in 40 free.

Since last summer, the Torck no longer have any stores. The most emblematic, Tannery Wharf in Paris, was converted into store decoration. Despite this withdrawal, the Torck could not keep Delbard roses in their garden.