“Create new models of urban garden centres.”

Patrick Abadie, Plant Quality and Procurement Manager, at Truffaut

Why are you coming to the Fair?

I’ve been working at Truffaut for 22 years and I’ve never missed a single edition. For me, the Salon du Végétal is a place where we maintain and forge human connections. I meet my suppliers, I talk to my pot manufacturers… There’s a whole ecosystem in the same place, at the same time.

What are you expecting from this 2019 edition?

I’m very curious to see the new organisation of the fair with the grouping of growers, more focused halls and the new merchandising competition. It seems to me that it’s an unmissable edition. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a relative decline in trade fairs, in all sectors. Communication channels have changed, we need to reinvent ourselves.

How are you tackling this change at Truffaut?

We want to develop e-commerce and create new models of urban garden centres. We also have to focus on urban centres and meet the expectations of city-dwelling consumers.