Context
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is the leading French region for organic farming by the richness and diversity of its terroirs, by the number of its farms and the quality of its production or processing companies in areas ranging from food, cosmetics, cleaning products, to textiles…
To enhance this sector, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region initiated a cluster in 2006, led by companies and experts, resolutely turned towards those markets. The Organic Cluster is the point of convergence and reference for all the players in the organic sector in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
Project
The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Organic Cluster is the association of processors and organic distributors in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It has around 300 members in the food, cosmetics, textiles and detergents sectors and federates economic actors from the organic world and supports companies at every stage of their development.
The Cluster's actions are articulated around 8 complementary themes:
- Getting started: getting started in organic production, regulatory bases and market challenges
- Sourcing: sourcing organic products, structuring local organic supply chains
- Marketing: buyers meetings, commercial prospecting, trade shows
- Training: training program for companies
- Innovating: innovation watch, competition for innovative projects, technical support
- Marketing the brand: animation of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Bio Community and various marketing actions
- Funding: connecting with funders, public aid available
Exporting: trade fairs, missions to discover international markets
In connection with market players, the Organic Cluster has set itself the task of providing strategic information to enable companies to face market challenges (monitoring, workshops ...), to support companies in their development by setting up support programs (marketing, export, innovation ...), to federate companies to improve their performance and develop their network (pooling commercial function, stands, exhibitions ...) and to promote organic products. Its scope of action is the entire AuRA region.
Example of a project carried out by the Organic Cluster on the Metropolis of Lyon:
Organic products and premises in the commercial restaurants of the Lyonnaise MetropolisThe project aims to introduce local organic products to consumers' in the Lyon Metropolis via local restaurants.
Context : The French organic market is growing continually. It was estimated at 8.373 billion € in 2017. Consumers have great confidence in organic products. They are very interested in what they eat ... and organic food is becoming the obvious choice. 83% are interested in organic products in restaurants. In recent years, the Organic Cluster has shown particular interest in catering to support this food transition and thus meet consumer demand.
Zoom on the territory of the Metropolis of Lyon: Year after year, initiatives flourish in the region for eco-responsible and sustainable food: Ouicompost, le Bol, Récup&Gamelles, Association VRAC ...
Since the project began, the Bio Organic Cluster and ARDAB have noted the potential and the dynamic in the development of organic produce and products in commercial catering. However the constraints of the profession have sometimes made it difficult to achieve satisfactory results. The project takes the form of different actions: individual support and operating diagnosis, personalized advice for sourcing organic products locally, implementation of a support methodology, participation in professional events, newsletter, creation of a network of stakeholders. The project is carried out in partnership with ARDAB.
Goals
The project is divided into 4 main areas of work:
- Structure and publicize the organic offer
- Support individual restaurants
- Create a network, communicate on good practices
- Coordinate the project
Beneficiaries of the program:
Traditional restaurants, caterers, cafes and bars in the Lyon area. Indirectly the 1.2 million citizens and consumers living in the metropolis.
Project leaders
On September 27, 2017, the association Organics Cluster in Rhône Alpes and Bioconvergence came together to form the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Organic Cluster
The Little Extra
A unique network in France, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Organic Cluster is the only one to bring together certified organic companies in the food industry, cosmetics, cleaning products and textiles.
Written by Alice Deshons, LFC volunteer - March 2019.
Last modification : 30 Mar 2020.
Organic cluster Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
The Organic Cluster is the epicenter of organic actors in the French Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The objective of the association is to bring operational solutions to member companies in their economic development through support, and sharing information.