Born in Brétigny-sur-Orge (Essonne) to Portuguese parents (her mother was a healthcare aide and her father a market gardener), Christine Cleto discovered the world of horticulture almost by accident.
"I studied to be an accountant in Melun and was intending to work in this sector when I was hired by Mr Cabané as a cashier- accountant in 1997. Back then he was a producer-trader at Rungis and the company Cabané purchased and sold plants in Belgium, Holland and Denmark. In 1998, Mr. Cabané ceded the company to a Dutch group, and I took over the management. Since my arrival, and with the support of my three employees - one sales person, one cashier and one delivery driver - significant changes have been made. Specifically, the surface area has been extended and certain products have been developed in particular. We now mainly sell indoor plants with the focus being on the plant nursery sector. We work with Italy, Belgium and Spain. Fifty percent of our products come from Belgium, 30% from France and 20% from Holland. Our plant nurseries (40% of sales) are mainly supplied from Italy and Denmark. Our other flagship products are flowering potted plants (30% of sales) including azaleas, hortensias, begonias and cyclamens, followed by green plants (20% of sales) such as the kentia palm, phoenix date palm, ficus (fig), dracaena (dragon plant) and the yucca. Other top sellers include chrysanthemums, geraniums and bedding plants.
The best sales periods are in spring (Mother's Day, 1 May) and All Saints Day in autumn. Our customers mainly include shop florists (50%) and market florists (30%); the remaining 20% covers plant nurseries, garden centres and landscape designers. As a long-standing member of APHUMR (Association of Horticultural Producers at the Rungis MIN), our company is continually seeking to extend the quality and variety of its product range. Lionel Guillon, my sales assistant, is responsible for tracking down and purchasing new species and varieties. His horticultural studies and 20-year experience with the company means he has an in-depth knowledge of the suppliers. Having been voted Miss Muguet Rungis in 1997 and Dauphine in 1998, I had the honour of participating in presenting the lily-of-the-valley to Mr. Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic, and his wife. Florists can find anything they need at Rungis: plants, cut flowers, packaging, pots and pottery items, garden furniture and decorative objects. Rungis is a world apart, a Babylon set in the Ile-de-France."
