A French company, producer of top quality wood products for wine, beer, spirits, food industry (smoking, extracts, aromas ...) is looking for distributors and/or commercial agents across Europe

Summary

Profile Type

Business Offer

POD Reference

BOFR20230721013

Term of Validity

22 August 2023 - 21 August 2025

Company's Country

France

Type of partnership

Commercial agreement

Targeted Countries

Serbia
Hungary
Czechia
Croatia
Turkey
Kosovo
Albania
Montenegro
Slovakia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Netherlands
Denmark
Norway
Finland
Luxembourg
Cyprus
Iceland

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General information

Short Summary

The French SME is a pioneer in the production of wood chips (French and American oak, Acacia, cherry chestnut) as efficient tool for wine producers, wine cooperatives, breweries, spirit industry. Wood chips can also be used as a smoking tool for the agri-food sector and the food processing industry. The company is looking for trade intermediaries based especially in Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Serbia, Turkey under a distribution services agreement and/or commercial agency agreement

Full Description

The French SME was founded in the late nineties, in the South West of France, with the aim of recycling wood from sustainably managed forests in order to innovate and produce a high-quality, high-performance oenological wood made from oak chips. The wood comes from French and American oaks. The French company is considered to be a pioneer in this activity in France, created almost ten years before the authorization to use oak chips, on finished wine, in the European Union. In 2011, the company joined a French family group that gathers a wood and oenology ecosystem from foresting, wine cooperage, stave milling, whisky and bourbon cooperage. The group has a strong international position.

Thanks to its ecosystem, the company has a great knowledge of the wood supply source. The wood is carefully selected from suppliers who comply with strict raw material specifications. This is all the more important as the wood products are intended to come into contact with food products. The company guarantees the food safety through the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and the quality management through its ISO 9001 certification. The products are also Kosher certified.

Over the years, the company has developed two unique and different methods of heating and toasting the wood. The first method consists of roasting the wood and developing many aromas for the wood such as vanilla, caramel, coffee, cherry, chestnut toasted notes. The second method has been recently developed through a high-performance process and will help in the fermentation and ageing of the wine. The wood is considered as an oenological tool.

Alongside the oenological tool, the company can offer a flavouring and smoking tool through a wide range of wood species that meet the needs of the food industry and in the use of smoking for the conservation of different products (meat, cheese, fish, vegetables).

The company proposes wood products for:
- oenology, especially for the wine fermentation and wine ageing;
- beer: wood chips can be added at different stages: mashing, boiling, fermentation, maturation or storage;
- spirits: especially for maceration, end of maturation and storage;
- flavour/extracts and food smoking.

The wood products are proposed in powder, extra small size chips and medium size chips, cubes, blocks and staves. There is a classification starting from untoasted (U), light toasted (L), medium toasted (M), heavy toasted (H). The products can be conditioned in different types of packaging from 10 kg paper bags or infusion bags, 20-25 kg paper bags, to bulk bags (350 up to 750 kg), 20 or 120 cardboard boxes (staves).

Thanks to its high quality products, the company has developed markets throughout the world and is looking to expand its markets, especially in Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Serbia,Turkey, also in Albania, Bosnia, Slovakia, Kosovo, Montenegro and in Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway under a distribution services agreement or a commercial agency agreement.

Advantages and Innovations

- Used as an oenological tool for wine, beer, spirits, the wood chips will help to preserve fruity aromas, increase the volume and the expected flavour, stabilize the colour.
- Used as a flavouring and smoking tool, the wood chips are a response to a growing trend for manufacturers and domestic market.
- The company is ISO 9001 certified for its quality management system and its Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point process is recognized by Intertek. Its products are also Kosher certified.
- The SME dedicates resources to Research and Development, striving to analyse market needs in order to improve, adapt and develop its product offer.
- The company is a member of the Union of the Wood Producers for Oenology (SPBO) that allows to constantly improve its products.

Stage of Development

Already on the market

Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

IPR status

Secret know-how

Partner Sought

Expected Role of a Partner

The French company is looking for trade intermediaries based in Europe, especially in Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Serbia, Turkey, and also in Albania, Bosnia, Slovakia, Kosovo, Montenegro under a distribution services agreement or a commercial agency agreement.

The sought partners are expected to be a distributor or sales agent with sales to professionals in the SME's business sectors, with market and network knowledge of wine, beer, spirits, food (smoking, extracts, aromas), a good knowledge of the business environment and local language. If international network, it has to be agreed with the company.

The type of distribution agreement (exclusive or non-exclusive) will be determined with partners in order to take into account the interest of both parties.

Type and Size of Partner