The historic leader of the spice market – inventor of the spice bottle and cabinet – once again demonstrates its visionary character with the latest developments in its offering : a new range of blends of spices and aromatics from around the world combined with packaging designed for unique use in the kitchen, the smart bag.
Flagship European brand of the McCormick group, world number one in spices, Ducros continues to “extend” itself to facilitate the choice and use of a product that is abundant by definition : peppers, aromatic herbs, spices and mixes, which constitute the PHEM market. The story of Ducros begins in 1963 when brothers Gilbert and Marc Ducros created a bulk herb and spice trading company., mainly aromatics from Provence, as well as peppers that they originally sold to the food and pharmaceutical industries. In 1965, they launched the famous Ducros bottles with a visionary and unique merchandising approach at the time : the spice cabinet. This piece of furniture will bring purchasing comfort to consumers with a practical and clear presentation of the products.. Ducros will thus invent color codes allowing the different types of products to be easily distinguished.. “It is again to Ducros that we owe the democratization of the mills, pepper bottles whose cap can be adjustable to different grinds. The pepper mill is a must-have in a chef's kitchen. Its use allows you to enhance the notes of each pepper ! » underlines Kevin Tacoun, director of McCormick Reunion. The success is such that the mill cap is now extended to other products than pepper. This search for useful and clever packaging partly explains the superior weight of imported spices., which have 60% market share in value, regarding local spices on the Reunion market.
Ducros, market leader in imported spices
“With nearly 75% of the value market share of imported spices, Ducros is the leader and maintains its desire to further energize the PHEM category. Quality is engraved in McCormick’s DNA.” specifies Kevin Tacoun, director of McCormick Reunion. Confinement and health restrictions having generated overconsumption of spices, the rise of homemade has of course benefited the Ducros brand. Today, and according to Kantar, eight out of ten French people cook their main dish : a very appreciable lever for PHEM. “Although this trend decreases in 2022, marking a return to normal, Ducros continues to recruit new consumers. We managed to retain some of the new customers who discovered and appreciated our products during the Covid crisis.. » A national phenomenon, since in France the penetration rate of Ducros is two points higher than in 2019.
Blends from around the world and clever sachets
A world tour, this is what Ducros has been inviting since the launch, about two years ago, a range of spice and aromatic blends unique on the market. These mixtures are those of the most emblematic dishes of world cuisines. By Kevin Tacoun, “they instantly invite you to travel and enhance the slightest recipe”. Fact, with this range the brand goes ahead of new consumer trends that are increasingly open to the discovery of flavors from elsewhere. And it resolves the delicate question of the quantity and dosage of spices which are at the heart of the flavors of “exotic” recipes.. American kitchens, Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, Mexican, eastern, Creole : the secrets of spice blends for typical dishes around the world are made available to everyone for successful Chinese-style fried rice, Thai curry, poulet tandoori, poulet tikka, wrap, paella, chili, guacamole, couscous, tagine, colombo, and many others. And to make those occasional dining experiences even easier, Ducros has designed specific packaging suitable for single use, anti-waste : the “smart bag.” » The brand thus meets the needs of consumers looking for inspiration, variety, health, but also practicality. The public asks for more ! Ducros sales in the blends segment jumped 8% year-on-year, 27% over two years ! This range of mixtures of world cuisines can also be discovered in Reunion Island in Ducros furniture.
VAHINÉ CELEBRATES ITS 50 YEARS
Another emblematic brand of the McCormick group, Vahiné dominates the pastry aid market in mainland France and in Reunion Island, with more than 50% market share. Dedicated furniture, clarity of the offer, response to new consumer trends : its success means it is the first brand to contribute to the growth of the category in 2021..
CSR AT MCCORMICK
“The McCormick Group is globally committed to growing its business sustainably : through respect for the planet and communities, but also by promoting the health and well-being of its consumers, in supporting the “eating better” trend”, recalls the director of Mc Cormick Réunion. The company has thus identified specific actions in line with 13 of the 17 UN sustainable development goals.. By 2025, it plans to obtain a 100% sustainable supply of ingredients for its iconic brands, to increase the livelihoods of 90% of small farmers who grow its iconic herbs and spices, to limit its impact on the environment by reducing its carbon footprint, by reducing water consumption and solid waste and developing innovative sustainable packaging. These commitments led to McCormick being named the #1 most sustainable company in the food industry in 2019 for the third year in a row and the thirteenth time overall in the annual Global 100 Sustainability Index rankings., the annual ranking of the most sustainable companies in the world.
OTHER PLAYERS IN THE SPICES AREA
In imported spices : the German brand Fuchs has taken up the principle of dedicated furniture in supermarkets. Private labels are also present. In local spices, three historical players stand out in the category : Rama House, Maison Ah Soune and the Tatie Léla brand. The latter was created by McCormick Réunion in 1993. As a spice specialist, it was important for McCormick to offer a local brand in partnership with a producer from Plaine des Grègues. Thus the group reaches all Reunion consumers, a majority of whom are used to buying local products, and mainly pei turmeric. There are also other players on the market, such as Kalou Pilon, Exotic Fabric, Meeting Talents, local brand carried by E. Leclerc Reunion…
