Exporting the Rungis model–2007 and 2008 reports

Semmaris stepped up its international actions in 2007, with some important partnerships in China, consultancy missions in Kazakhstan and Liverpool, exchanges with Madrid, an office in London, and missions to Dubai.

Covering 133 hectares, the wholesale market in Shanghai – the Shanghai Xijiao International Agricultural Products Trading Center - will be designed according to the Rungis Market's structure ! This is the result of a cooperation agreement with Semmaris, who acted as an advisor on organization and functional programming and helped establish the ground plan. Entry into service is scheduled for end 2009. It should be pointed out that China – which hosted the 25th Congress of the World Union of Wholesale Markets in Beijing in September 2007 – is currently involved in the complete redevelopment of a huge networks numbering over 4,000 markets. Consequently, about a hundred markets will handle most transactions .

China in sight

In this context, Semmaris also signed on 20 November 2007 a draft agreement with SZAP (Shenzhen Agricultural Products Company), a company that manages about fifteen wholesale markets in China. This agreement provides for a joint venture to be set up by the two signatories, mid-2008, to run three markets SZAP will be building at Pinghu (Shenzhen), Shenyang and Nanning. With an initial 25% stake in the joint venture, Semmaris has already begun to work on the Pinghu project, notably on the chilled-chain and environmental requirements. Works should start mid-2008.

Contacts on every continent

In the first half of 2007, Semmaris also participated in a study funded by the French government on the organization of Republic of Kazakhstan’s food markets. Another study was conducted on the relocation of two wholesale markets – fruit and vegetables, and meat – in Liverpool. In June, a study agreement was signed to prepare the ground plan of the Victorya market in Moscow. Other contacts were made in India (New-Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta), Vietnam and Peru.
Rungis Market’s functioning concept is of interest to many foreign operators for two reasons : firstly, because it integrates all fresh produce sectors, and secondly because while supplying the Ile-de-France region, it has proved its capacity to deliver further away, in France and abroad .

Exchanges with Madrid market

This international drive can also be seen in Semmaris’ efforts to promote international exchanges for Rungis Market companies, both in terms of sourcing and sales. The 2007 harvest was rich in this domain too.
Rungis Market and Mercamadrid signed a cooperation agreement on 3 July 2007. The first concrete decision was to share a stand at the Fruitlogistica trade show in Berlin, in February 2008. Arrangements have also been made to share experiences over the longer term: firstly, in marketing and communication areas, with international promotion of the brands to highlight both markets’ prime quality offer; secondly, to develop the business trade ; and lastly in the area of new technologies, to exchange ideas on the emergence of virtual markets, among others .