________________________________________________________________________________________________ Picard Surgelés
FROZEN WITHOUT COMPROMISE
How Picard Surgelés has remained France’ s favourite food retailer for ten consecutive years
Delighting French palates for over a century, Picard Surgelés( Picard) is a French food company specializing in the manufacture and retail of frozen products spanning countless categories, from raw ingredients to ready-made meals. Cécile Guillou, CEO, shares insights into the brand’ s history and how it became a beloved institution in France.
“ Picard was founded in 1906 by two brothers in Fontainebleau, south of Paris, before being acquired by Raymond Picard in 1920, who renamed the company after himself. The first shop opened in 1974, establishing a long history of know-how in the frozen industry. What sets us apart is our status as an independent, family-owned business, though not always under the same family. In 2019, we were acquired by the Zouari family, a name well-known in the French retail industry. This is a way for Picard to remain firmly independent from the larger players in the market and continue on its own path. As of now, we are the number one frozen food retailer in France with a turnover of € 1.8 billion. For the past ten years, we have consistently been named the favorite specialty food brand in France, which is a remarkable achievement for a frozen food retailer in a country that loves food, and a testament to the quality of our products,” she begins.
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