The trading names of Les Mousquetaires: creation of independent businesses, mass retailing franchises


	Organisation and resources

Purchasing

Organisation

Les Mousquetaires' purchasing operation is organised in different ways:

At international level
Les Mousquetaires have set up an international central purchasing unit for foodstuffs, AGENOR, based in Switzerland. As a central location, it is able to observe strategies and markets and negotiate successfully with multinational suppliers. At the end of 2000, ARENA, an international central purchasing unit for non-food items, was also set up to facilitate volume purchasing and negotiate with international non-food suppliers.

At national level
With a regimented organisation in terms of categories and departments, the Food Marketing Department for France analyses and has a thorough knowledge of each sector, from production to sale, allowing it to buy under the best possible terms.
For each product family, Les Mousquetaires have set up organisations, some of which are quite creative, in order to adhere to customer expectations as closely as possible and meet the essential requirements of the market. Here are a few examples:


	Fruit and vegetables:

The buyers are based in 7 purchasing offices located throughout the French production areas.

This proximity allows them:
to have a thorough knowledge of the growers and their products,
to be responsive to new products on the market,
and to satisfy customers' expectations.

500,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables are bought in France using this method.


	Seafood:

So that they can offer their clients a wide variety of fresh seafood every day, Les Mousquetaires are organised in such a way that they can buy from local as well as from international fish markets. In order to control product traceability and overcome supply problems, they also decided to become fishermen themselves. So today dozens of their boats ply the oceans of the world to provide high quality fish, at the right time and at the right price. With two brands, one for fish caught at sea (Petrel) and the other for commercially farmed fish (Gulf Stream), consumers can easily identify the range of seafoods on offer.


	Wines:

With three wine experts travelling the length and breadth of France, Les Mousquetaires have an organisation which is unique in the field of mass retailing. Whether choosing wines for sale throughout the year or regional vintages for the Wine Fair, priority is always given to the vineyards of France. As a result, 98% of wine purchases are made from French growers. Each year, 250 million bottles are sold in Les Mousquetaires outlets.

At regional level
Les Mousquetaires have purchasing units located in eight regions, allowing special relationships and co-operation agreements to be set up with local producers. Customer expectations can therefore be satisfied in terms of regional and traditional produce. Each purchasing unit only buys enough to meet the requirements of its region.

For details of the various purchasing units, click here.

Partnerships

A Les Mousquetaires partnership is based on the concept of trust and sincerity: it guarantees partners long-term development and outlets for their produce (continuity of their business and security); and, for Les Mousquetaires, it guarantees quality supplies.


	Example of a partnership in the cattle and sheep industries:

Les Mousquetaires have had a partnership with the SVA Jean Rozé abattoir for 25 years. As a result of this partnership, SVA Jean Rozé is committed to thousands of beef and lamb producers through marketing contracts guaranteeing to consumers that produce is of French origin. It handles 1,000 cattle every day. Les Mousquetaires are therefore working in indirect partnership with tens of thousands of producers. So whole regions benefit from the effects of this partnership.

Proprietary brand names

Les Mousquetaires soon created their own brand names, in order to:

protect the purchasing power of consumers:
in other words, to offer them a wider choice in terms of products, quality and price.


	Example with TOP BUDGET:

For consumers looking for a "price response", TOP BUDGET is the international brand name for leading products sold in Intermarché and Ecomarché stores.

Independence of supply, the spearhead of Les Mousquetaires.
The independence of Les Mousquetaires has been maintained over the years by partnerships with small and medium sized companies, today totalling more than 650,
which has allowed each store to:
control product quality,
have stable conditions for the production and processing of its products,
keep prices down.

This independence is also achieved through owning its own production units, which today operate in the domains of meat, dairy products, seafoods, water, bread, and cakes and pastries.


	Example with water:

Les Mousquetaires want to offer their customers a wider range. To have sufficient volumes, they have had to buy water sources and set up their own bottling plants. This is why today they are able to offer their customers a wide choice of still, sparkling and flavoured waters from leading water manufacturers or regional brands, while adhering to the recommendations of nutritionists.