The regional council of Reunion wanted to strike a big blow, as a preamble to the International Agricultural Show (IS) 2024, by organizing an event to promote Reunionese products in Paris.
The Orangery, reception room near the Roland-Garros stadium, took on Creole colors on the evening of February 22, by hosting “La Réunion à la carte”. The roughly thirty local producers who were preparing to participate in the SIA, two days later, responded to the community’s invitation, who wanted to put them in contact with metropolitan professionals in the kitchen and distribution of food products. Several dozen of them had made the trip, coming to meet punch and rum producers, jams and Victoria pineapples and multiple processed products, sometimes very innovative. The regional initiative is intended to complement that of the Department, which has long supported local producers at the Agricultural Show. The event allows a meeting with the general metropolitan public, who go en masse every year to the Porte de Versailles exhibition center. It generates an interesting turnover for the participants, but hardly lends itself to professional exchanges. “Reunion à la carte” has, on the contrary, was designed to encourage B to B meetings. “Our products deserve to appear on the menus of the best metropolitan restaurants, our ambition is to create business flows”, said Huguette Bello during her opening speech. By the way, the president of the Region reaffirmed her support for the current revolt in the French agricultural world. The Region's commitment to local producers will continue over time. The community is preparing to assume jurisdiction over agriculture, which will be sent to him by the Department in 2028. She will then become manager of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. (Feader), as it already is with the Feder. Based on the results of the first edition of “La Réunion à la carte”, the operation could be renewed. The organization of educational tours intended for French gastronomy professionals is also in preparation..
