Sanphi: France gains taste of Brazil

By Adriana Michael

Sanphi International, a sourcing, trading and consulting agency established in Brazil two years ago, will be introducing well known organic certified Brazilian brands to France this Fall. After two decades of rich experience acquired dealing with the international market in Latin America, French national Philippe Leclerc decided to relocate to Brazil two years ago to start this new venture sourcing Brazilian foods and ingredients to satisfy the growing demand for organics in France. “I have worked in many parts of the world and mainly in the banking and wine industries”, says Philippe. “I like Brazil very much and with the growing interest in organic food and with the supply not keeping up with the demand in France, it was a good moment to start Sanphi”.

Leclerc has been sourcing the best products available for exporting and is pleased with the results so far: “We have exclusive distribution rights for Native, the largest producer of organicsugar in the world, a firm with 25% market share at the moment”. Native is a Brazilian organic pioneer that has been able to find ways to sustainable development in the highly competitive sugar industry.

Sanphi will introduce Native to BIOCOOP , the largest organic retail chain in France with 320 stores, to Naturalia with 30 stores in the Paris area and to Natureo, a new concept in organic retailing, currently with three very large outlets with over 3,500 sqm, modelled after Whole Foods. “Even though Brazil enjoys a large domestic market for many sectors and does not depend on exports like other countries in the region, I can see organic entrepreneurs taking the export activity seriously, they are eager to develop a good product for the international market”, says Leclerc.

Native has diversified its offer adding other foods such as coffee and Sanphi will introduce those lines to France as well. At first it was difficult for the buyers to understand why Native would not sell under private labels, but Leclerc says now they agree it is a great concept to allow consumers to get the direct connection from the farm to the shelf. To complement the Native line and offer French buyers a complete variety of the tastes and flavours from Brazil, Sanphi will also introduce heart of palm from Fazenda e Casa, instant coffee under its own brand Biograal, flavoured organic mate from Campo Verde and baby food imported from Argentina. “We are concentrating efforts in Brazil with a few companies to serve those three main chains for now, but expect to add other retail chains and other suppliers in the near future”. Leclerc and his partner Stephane Savigny will be present at NATEXPO, to meet their clients at other interesting items the French organic trade may suggest for them to export from Brazil and the Latin American region.

Filed Under 2009, Profiles, Summer