Offering as many people as possible products that are a source of pleasure and balance with this universal ingredient that is fruit : this is the mission that Valade has set for itself, which celebrated its 140 years of history last year. The Corrèze company has become a major player, both in terms of expertise in its markets and results.
Jam brand with 17 references today, Léonce Blanc enjoys spectacular economic success. With this brand, Valade has managed to do the best at a competitive price. As evidenced by the success of Léonce Blanc 70% : more than 1,6 million buyers, leading brand contributing to gains in its sector in mass distribution (source : Nielsen). Léonce Blanc is the driving force behind recruitment in the jams category, as shown by the evolution of the number of buyers over the last five years, particularly over the last two years (+ 544,000 buyers). Other telling figures: production increased from 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes in four years. Growth also visible in turnover : + 30% from 2022 to 2023, + 14% from 2023 to 2024. Valade is today number 2 in jams in France and a solid challenger in the compote markets for glass and individual jar formats., on which the company intervenes. The company achieves nearly 100 million euros in turnover, 50% in large and medium distribution, 40% in out-of-home catering and 10% for export.
A story of entrepreneurs
It was in 1885, in Tulle, that the Valade family embarked on the general grocery store and the distillery before creating in 1908 its "manufacture of canned and choice of choice". In parallel, in 1892, Léonce Blanc launches her workshop in cans about fifty kilometers away, in Lubersac, Always in Corrèze. These two families of precursors in the agri-food industry understood from the beginning of the 20th century the importance of commercial strategy and the excellence of their production.. They will be pioneers in the industrialization of their process and the packaging of their products, which find their place among catering and bakery and pastry professionals, then large distribution. But more than anything, the two Corrèze entrepreneurs understand the richness of their region and promote local products in innovative recipes : apples, pears, chestnuts, red fruits… in the 1970s, the heirs Valade and Blanc join forces and take the name Corrèze-Conserves. Today, the company is majority owned by two French investment funds specializing in financing regional “nuggets”.
Valade : the right fruit at the right time
Beyond Léonce Blanc jams, Valade is also a brand present alongside public catering professionals (school, health, social, business), private, hotels, leisure, transport, to inspire them in the composition of their guests' meals. Valade is also present in mass distribution since 2022. Valade intends to continue to develop choice in the category in 2026, with new recipes adapted to specific consumption desires, depending on the time of day. Apart from exotic fruits, the choice to buy in France is obviously an axis of its purchasing approach, but climatic hazards, production weaknesses of certain fruits or varieties on French territory, the quality demanded by the company’s brands, also lead to sourcing throughout Europe.
Three questions to Guillaume Argand, CEO of Valade
You must feel a certain pride in leading a company that is celebrating its 140th anniversary ?
Indeed, and it is a great satisfaction to know that she is still young and dynamic. We show that, by reconciling our more than a century-old know-how with the modernity and innovation that are in the company’s genes, we can achieve beautiful things.
How do we bring modernity and innovation to products like jam or compote? ?
We continue to constantly reinvent ourselves, to be in tune with our times and anticipate the future. for example, we are working to offer more and more fruit and less and less sugar. Without sacrificing excellence and pleasure. We are also developing our ranges and flavors. Léonce Blanc went from 6 to 17 references, soon 18 in 2026. We are also innovating with our Valade brand ranges : we are the only ones to have in our portfolio an offer of multifruit compote in glass format.
All this work is paying off today ?
Indeed, the company is in full development. Every year, a French person consumes on average 500 g of Valade products. The figures show it well : the plant market, especially fruit, is a market of the future. We play a major role and our ambitions are strong.
