The HOP FRANCE brand

Origin

At the start of 2017, many hop plantation projects were launched outside the usual French production areas (Alsace, Northern France).

To meet a growing demand for local production from microbrewers, farmers and brewers are starting to produce hops. Full of desire but often underestimating the difficulty of producing quality hops.

Reflection Agricultural counter

If the place of the Comptoir Agricole is tiny but recognized at the world level (1%, 10th rank), its notoriety on the French territory is no longer to be demonstrated. Indeed, 95% of the hops produced in France are produced in Alsace. This hop is certified on the premises of Brumath with regard to the European rules in force before marketing.

Very quickly, the Comptoir Agricole decided to provide support to these new planters in the interest of the development of quality hops in France and developed a number of services intended to enhance the quality of these productions.

Creation of a training program under the aegis of “Houblon Expert” intended to provide future planters with all the ingredients for successful cultivation, both at the technical level and in the management of work teams. Given the success of the first session, the Comptoir Agricole decided to renew this training and enrich it.

Sale of plants of the main Alsatian varieties for contractual production outside Alsace with technical support. Carrying out the analyzes necessary for the certification of productions with regard to the rules in force in Europe.

Proposal of a pelletizing service to its traditional partners.

Possibility of buying back surplus Alsatian varieties, subject to their certification, for marketing on external markets to Comptoir Agricole customers.

Birth of the brand

On the strength of its market share in France, and given the quality policy it imposes on its productions, which is constantly promoted to its customers, Comptoir Agricole creates the Hop France brand.

Any producer producing Alsatian varieties from the Comptoir Agricole and having certified his productions (reminder: certification is mandatory when the producer is registered as a farmer) will have the possibility of selling his productions under the Hop France brand.

Le Comptoir Agricole therefore wants to associate this brand with a quality label on the French market, a synonym that the support efforts have paid off and that the new planter has produced quality hops, meeting European certification standards.

International

Le Comptoir Agricole generates 70% of its sales internationally.

It is therefore natural that the Hop France brand is now highlighted at the main trade fairs in which it participates. The explanations given by the sales department make it possible to promote the aromatic but also intrinsic quality of French hops, meeting the requirements of the most demanding brewers.