South-West Bernadet wants to push back its boundaries

3
The distribution channels of the company, which sells in supermarkets, freezer centres and via home delivery, and also in the catering trade and institutional catering.

15
The number of employees in the company.

2.8 M€
The company’s turnover in 2019.

Located in the south of the Landes departement, in Saint-Vincent-de-Tyrosse (New-Aquitaine), the Bernadet company which specializes in frozen ready-made meals based on seafood products, likes traditional recipes. Among the cod brandades, gratins and parmentiers, the Basque fisherman’s dish called ttoro and the spicy bouillabaisse are the flagship products of this positioning. “These fish soups with garnishes have forged the history of the company. Along with tapas, it’s the range which evolves the most” says Laurence Bernadet, manager of the company created in 1988 by her father, which she took over with her sisters, Nathalie and Marie.

Laurence Bernadet continues to develop the business of the family SME and has a clear strategy. She wants to extend the presence of the Bernadet brand beyond its regional borders. In the hypermarkets and supermarkets sector, where the company achieves 45% of its turnover, the key is “to gain visibility and make itself known to national buyers”, she points out. A major retailer already offers the bouillabaisse during national promotional operations, but the brand is especially present in the South West of France.

“Processing companies such as ours often come up against a problem of legitimacy when it comes to finding markets outside our regions,” explains Laurence Bernadet. “As far as we’re concerned, we’re tagged South West.” The signing of national agreements with chain stores should make it possible to overcome this pitfall. As for expanding its market, the company also aims to develop its export business. It has just initiated contacts with the services of Team France export, which brings together CCI, Business France with the regions and BPI France. “Our current production equipment enables us to generate 20 to 25% additional business,” emphasizes Laurence Bernadet.

Loïc FABRÈGUES

Traduction : Catherine ROUSSEY