Gauthier Delomez 5:14 p.m., November 02, 2021
Invited in the program "La France bouge", the president of the chocolate maker Jeff de Bruges, Philippe Jambon, explains that his company is preparing somehow to ensure the end of year holiday period, in particular because of the lack of raw materials. Despite everything, "prices will not move" before Christmas, he assures us on Europe 1. For 2022, however, the situation could be different.
Many French people rely on Jeff de Bruges to taste chocolates at Christmas.
If sales have increased recently according to its president, Philippe Jambon, the company must face the challenge of the lack of raw materials which affects many countries in the world, especially with regard to packaging.
But the foodies can be reassured: the president of the group says on Europe 1 that "prices will not move" before Christmas.
"We may not have all the choice we imagined, but we will have boxes and chocolate," continues the president in the show
La France bouge
.
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32% of the group's annual turnover at Christmas
The holiday season represents 32% of the group's annual turnover, specifies Philippe Jambon. A crucial period therefore for the company. "We try to be ready. The problem is knowing what to manufacture. Between the moment we decide and when we deliver a store, it takes three weeks (...). the complexity is having the products available on time in the stores for a successful Christmas, ”explains the group president.
Despite everything, it was difficult to predict this global shortage of raw materials which affects many sectors, such as chocolate.
"We had tried to anticipate things. What we had not imagined is that in ports, boats which are willing to take a container on board take two, three, or even four weeks late. We do not make our chocolates in Asia, but we do a certain number of our packaging there, and we are very tight in terms of flow ", underlines Philippe Jambon.
A possible price change in 2022
The share of packaging represents "a small percentage" of the group's expenditure. The president of the company therefore wants to prevent the soaring prices from being passed on to the artisans. "We have independent traders who need their margins to live, to resist. We must therefore take into account the evolution of prices which are for the moment a little crazy." This is why the chocolate maker does not rule out an increase in prices in 2022: "After Christmas, another era begins. We will see according to the evolution of this inflation".
Philippe Jambon still shares his fear if this situation were to continue for the holidays: "My big anxiety is whether I'm going to be in double digits (for turnover, Editor's note) at Christmas or not".
In total, for the chocolate maker, this holiday season represents "significant volumes to supply 530 stores" throughout France, and abroad.