"A show really strengthens the bond!"
Delphine Georgelet
At the moment you're calling, we were actually in the process of booking hotels and trains! I'm bringing my whole team, we're going to be four at the stand. We will rotate so everyone can visit other producers. It's pretty cool but it does require a lot of planning and organization.
The goal is, of course, to gain new customers but especially to meet and retain our current ones. A show really strengthens the bond! We call most of our clients every week but, when we have already met them at a show, we know who we're talking to. And that changes everything!
Will the launch of a daily paper at the show be a plus for you?
Yes, it's a very good initiative! It's important for clients and producers or processors to leave with it and think while browsing it "Ah yes, that's the Georgelet farm!". With paper, you take more time. It makes a more striking reminder than an image that passes on a screen. But I think it's necessary to wisely use all media, digital and paper, both are very complementary.
A woman at the head of a farm, what does that change?
I took over the operation very quickly in 2020 due to my father's health issue and I bought the farm last summer. At first, it was a bit crazy, I didn't catch everything that was happening, especially with three young children! But I manage to stay the course. Because I realized that I had naturally integrated the farming gestures when I was a child. But also because I do a huge work on myself, to be in harmony with my values in managing the farm. And I think it also shows in my recruitment, in the way I manage the staff. Of course, you need to set boundaries but at the same time, you'll never hear shouting here and the door is always open. It's another way of managing.
The other difference you highlight is the imperative of animal welfare. Can you explain how it unfolds at the Georgelet farm?
First of all, we are really a farm, which means we really do everything from A to Z. We have our goats, for which we make all the forage and grains, then we have the cheese transformation and marketing. And it's true that across this whole chain, our goal is to stay as connected as possible with the animal and the environment. This means we strive not to impoverish the land that will feed our goats. And for our animals, we try to be more preventative than curative and to favor natural products. To facilitate birthing, we use palmarosa essential oil. If the goats have lice, we treat them with diatomaceous earth and Tea Tree essential oil. The same if they have a cold; we avoid injections or anything invasive as much as possible.