From the end of the 1950s, a few visionary men decided to maintain poultry production in France and drafted the basis for the Label Rouge specifications: free-range poultry, predominantly local cereals in feed and controls carried out by a third-party. Since then, to meet consumer needs, LDC Group has been developing superior quality Label Rouge and Organic products with its long-standing partner: Les Fermiers de Loué. Over time, this excellent poultry range was progressively extended with AOP Bresse (protected designation of origin, created in 1992), regional labels and the guarantee of French origins for poultry products (hatched,reared and prepared in France).
Committed to ensuring health security from the end of the 1970s, the Group invested in competitive, safe and high-performance industrial tools. The Group also place great importance on the complete traceability of its products, enabling customers and consumers to become familiar with each stage of production.
Over the last few years the Group has committed to simplifying its list of ingredients: discontinuation of colourings, artificial flavourings, flavour enhancers and preservatives. Innovation is a major driving force for the Group. More than 130 employees work on R&D each day or at our Research & Innovation facility to invent the products of tomorrow. Our teams study almost 2000 projects a year and 200 brand products are launched year!
It is important to us at the LDC Group that we are attentive to our customers, consumers and fellow citizens more generally.
Its research, monitoring and auditing strategy includes regular consumer tests of current innovations, concepts and products every year. Surveys and barometers are read on a regular basis to monitor trends. In addition to the traditional image assessment of each brand, the Group regularly updates its surveys to evaluate the societal perception of consumers: the level to which societal expectations are taken into account and the level of trust in our brands. Assessing consumer satisfaction also takes place through customer service monitoring and follow-up, and through direct contact. We regularly organise POS events so that our customers and consumers can meet and talk with our teams and partner farmers.
The Group also collects direct customer feedback on its products and services, its ability to innovate and its dynamism so that we have our finger on the pulse and are able to adapt to meet requirements.
Results for levels of satisfaction are consolidated and reported on for each brand. The Group has set itself the objective of continuously improving its score every year.
To showcase its products, values and commitment, the Group communicates with the General Public through its brands, on packing and via advertising on TV and on social media.
LDC Group has developed healthy and safe product ranges. To ensure the safety of its purchasing and procurement activities, it relies on a close partnership that has developed over the years with all its partners, and in particular with the farmers and supplies of raw materials and ingredients.
In addition to international certifications such as BRC, IFS or FSSC 22000 based on the requirements of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), internal processes based on continuous improvement in terms of sanitary quality, bio-safety and traceability have also been implemented. Control tools such as the H.A.C.C.P. process (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) are also deployed across all of our productions. Team training, simulation exercises and laboratory controls are carried out on a regular basis to maintain a high level of responsiveness.
The Group has 4 laboratories, 2 of which are COFRAC-accredited: Laboratoire de La Toque Angevine, accredited in the COFRAC testing section under number 1-2265, and Laboratoire LDC Sablé, accredited in the COFRAC testing section under number 1-7147 (scope available at www.cofrac.fr).
A team of 220 people is dedicated to food quality and safety.
High performance logistics mean that we can ensure timely product delivery across France and Europe, thereby guaranteeing high standards of quality and freshness. in 2019, the first IFS certifications were awarded to the Group’s logistics centers.
The Group has set itself the objective of having 95% of its plants IFS or BRC or FSSC 22000 certified by 2025. This is already the case for 93% of plants today.
Food is an essential aspect of Public Health. Poultry and eggs have recognised nutritional properties because they are excellent sources of:
They also offer many dietary benefits, are easy to cook and are suitable for all age categories.
The French national nutrition and health program recommends and promotes poultry meat and eggs.
On the basis of these observations, our Research & Development teams and our Research and Innovation facility, supported by a network of scientific experts, offer innovative products that reflect current needs and trends, and come up with the products of tomorrow.
Particular attention is paid to:
Nutritional guidelines drawn up in 2014 are reviewed every three years and provide the framework for the nutritional quality and composition of our products.
The Group has set itself two objectives to achieve by 2025:
Share of IFS, BRC or FSSC 22000 health-certified plants
Consumers satisfied via brand image and -awareness
Share of A, B or C-scored product in the Nutri-Score® ranking
Share of completed recipes including Clean Label programme