Instinct and a Passion for Produce

At 57, Jean-François embodies the memory and expertise of the fruit and vegetable sector at LM. As a seasoned Purchasing Manager, he has witnessed the industry’s transition from “gut-feeling” trading to an era of precision planning, all without ever losing touch with the land where he grew up.

A Destiny Forged in the Soil

Nothing predestined Jean-François for logistics offices, except for his love of the product. Leaving school at just 12 and a half, he cut his teeth directly in farming. Until 1989, he worked at the heart of the fields, expecting to spend his entire career there.

The turning point came at the Saint-Pierre market stalls in 1988. An intuition struck him: why not move to the other side? From seller to buyer, he took the leap. Noticed by a wholesaler during the Florilège festival, he rose through the ranks from grower to buyer before joining LM on January 26, 1997. It is a company he hasn’t left for nearly 30 years.

The Art of Anticipation

While the “feeling” of the 90s is a thing of the past, Jean-François has successfully adapted his flair to modern tools. Today, his daily routine is a long-distance race against the unexpected:

• Morning Rigor: Validating the previous day’s flows, correcting errors, managing distribution, and ensuring strict quality control during picking.

• Field-First Approach: Despite his responsibilities, he makes a point of visiting the fields every two weeks and attends the wholesale market on Mondays and Wednesdays. For him, observing the “clearance” of products on the stalls is the only true thermometer of the market.

• Planning: Working closely with technicians, he establishes production schedules 1 to 2 months in advance. His challenge? Anticipating tomorrow’s needs while managing weather hazards (cyclones, droughts), which remain the ultimate masters of the game.

Witnessing an Agricultural Revolution

Jean-François tells the story of an era of sacrifice. He remembers the 90s with no days off—17-hour days starting at midnight and ending the following evening.

“The market has changed, the consumer has changed, and the producers have become more professional.”

He observes the modernization of farms with satisfaction: better-equipped farmers and a constantly renewed product offering. However, he remains clear-eyed about current challenges, particularly the labor shortage that penalizes farmers when it comes to last-minute orders.

The Man of the Tempo

What keeps Jean-François going after three decades? Everything. He loves the pace, the human connection with producers, and the adrenaline of stock management (inflows/outflows). At LM, he is more than just a buyer; he is the essential bridge between the land of Reunion Island and the consumer’s plate.