24 september 2009, 9:00-17:30, Espace Rungis

The future of wholesale markets

Les Entretiens de Rungis (Rungis Symposium) will be a special edition this year. Indeed, in the context of the 40th anniversary of the Market, Rungis hosts the World Union of Wholesale Markets fall conference from 23-25 September. This symposium will be the central event of this conference; such an important subject (a prospective view on the future of wholesale markets) was therefore chosen given the profile of the audience, mainly composed of wholesale markets directors from the world over, and also stakeholders of the fruit and vegetables sector (producers, wholesalers, retailers...), all sensitive to the major stakes likely to emerge in the coming months, such as central city or out-of-hour deliveries, new proximity supermarkets, production contracts…

A European survey

The survey that will serve as the common thread for this year’s Symposium was run with upstream and downstream professionals from the French, English and Spanish fruit & vegetables sector. The goal was to determine the image and role of wholesale markets for these key players. The study was conducted by HEC Junior Conseil in the second quarter 2009 and supported by Mercamadrid and New Covent Garden

Organization

The day will be organized in four sessions lasting 90 minutes. It will take place as follows :

Introduction (9:30 – 10:00)
By Graham Wallace, Chairman of the WUWM, and Marc Spielrein, Chairman and CEO of Rungis International Market

Session 1: Are wholesale markets well organized to face the demand of new distribution channels? (10:00 - 11:30)
Animated by Olivier MASBOU, Editor at FLD journal (France)

• Main Speaker: Bertrand Oudin, Director of Blézat Consulting (France)

The new "landscape"of fresh produce distribution and the expectations of new channels (central cities small local supermarkets, innovative retailers, new catering concepts...)

• Case study: George Nicholson, Retail Planning Forum (England)

British initiatives to boost retail markets - the example of Borough Market and the London wholesale markets' action plan

• Debate with:

• Jan Lloyd, CEO of Covent Garden Market Authority (England)

• Sandrine Choux, Managing Director of the French Fruit Retailers Association (France)

• Ignacio Cruz, Managing Director of Mercasa (Spain)

• Guillaume Bapst, Managing Director of the fresh produce charity ANDES (France)

Session 2: Stakes of sustainable logistics (11 :30 - 13 :00))
Animated by Benoît Jullien, Director of ICAAL (France)

• Main Speaker: Andrew Palmer, Professor at Cranfield University (England)

The stakes of sustainable logistics (lower carbon footprint, better air quality, less congestion...) and the concrete developments for wholesale markets (collaboration, network design, telematics, greater capacity vehicles, out of hours delivery, engine specification...)

• Case study: Hervé Levifve, in charge of goods transportation at Paris city hall (France)

Presentation of a survey carried out for the City of Paris about goods transportation in the capital and deliveries in central Paris

• Debate with:

• Jean-Paul Meyronneinc, General Secretary of the French Union for Chilled Transportation (France)

• Timo Taulavuori, Managing Director of Helsinki Wholesale Market (Finland)

• Laurent Grandin, Managing Director of SICAER (France)

• Torben Flinch, Managing Director of Copenhagen Wholesale Market (Danmark)

Session 3: Do we need to reinvent the relationships between producers and whoolesalers? (14:30 - 16:00)
Animated by Olivier Masbou, Editor at FLD journal (France)

• Main Speaker : Julian Briz, Professor at the Universidad Polytecnica de Madrid (Spain

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of wholesale markets as outlets for production: what reciprocal expectations from wholesalers and producers to tighten their links

• Case study: Gérard Baglin, Professor at HEC Paris (France)

An industrial supply chain model and a benchmark with the cereals sector

• Debate with:

• Didier Delmotte, Managing Director of Lille Wholesale Market (France)

• Thierry Mouneyrac, Manager of Mouneyrac Rungis (France)

• - Bruno Dupont, Chairman of the French Fruit Producers Association (France)

• - Bernard Piton, Chairman of the French Fruit and Vegetables Wholesalers Association (France)

Session 4: Wholesale markets and branding strategies (16:00 - 17:30)
Animated by Benoît Jullien, Director of ICAAL (France)

• Main Speaker: Jean-Noël Kapferer, Professor at HEC Paris (France)

What identity and values, and what communications can a wholesale market carry out? To target who? With what means?

• Case study: Guénaëlle Gault, Managing Director at TNS Sofres France (France)

Image and awareness of Rungis market among members of the public: the interest of a B to B to C marketing approach

• Debate with :

• Lola Roman Gallego, Vice President of MercaMadrid (Spain)

• Torsten Berens, Managing Director of Hamburg Wholesale Market (Germany)

• Dominique Monloup, CEO of Monloup Rungis (France)

• John Piper, Managing Director of Oakleaf European (England)

Conclusion (17:30 - 17:45)

By Marc Spielrein, Chairman and CEO of Rungis Market