Pivano adapts to the demands of the market

Pascal Ducros, Director General of Pivano

What are the reasons for the success of your concept in France

His first placement. Pivano is a concept for the rapid restoration of quality on the principle of the "gourmet snack." The concept combines a lunch on-site usability, speed of a food take-away and the efficiency of a delivered restoration. Its flexibility then. Pivano adapts to the demands of the market. The concept of the "gourmet snack" reference can grow an innovative module of catering for business.

Why specifically chosen the Japan for you develop abroad

The Japan is a market of reference to open his first point of sale internationally. Indeed, all steps in a country with such a level of requirement is a pledge of seriousness and quality. Become a master franchise in the Japan opens the doors to many other markets around the world.

What is your concept adapted to the Japanese market

Our strengths are many but we especially enjoy the expectations of the market for innovative concepts and quality. The quality of the products, the fineness of their submission, the extent of the range of products covering the three segments of the day (breakfast, lunch, and taste and tea), the authenticity with French and Mediterranean recipes are not desired criteria Japanese consumers.

How do you want to develop in the Japan

We have chosen a Japanese master franchisee because we believe that only a person accustomed to the market and the local culture can apply our concept optimally. For recruitment, we have radiated quite broadly. We were looking for either an already present operator in the sector, owner of chains or franchises, or an investor who wishes to diversify. The master franchisee will follow a training in France on the same model as our franchisees. It will conduct a training for a week where he will spend in each of our services (production, marketing, sales, etc.).

Current balance of your experience at the Japan

Before even the opening of our first France franchise, we realized, in early 2006, a search for potential Japanese partners with the help of the CCIFJ1 and the GREX2 (centre of international trade in the CCI de Grenoble). At a meeting, we met a Japanese interested in our concept. Today, this person held the post of interpreter - our site has a part in Japanese - and responsible for communication. Then we carried out two trips there to study the market and meet with preselected contacts. The first trip to permit to gather much information both technically and culturally. These steps have enabled us the identification of two companies as potential partners. But after the negotiation of the contract, we experienced last October a brutal judgment of the project due to the global crisis.

Objective in the next 5 years

All our efforts are completed and the project is virtually noted. However, the crisis that we face, we prefer expected the economic recovery to boost our project. Five years we aim the confirmation of a master franchise in the Japan and the opening of 20 outlets in Tokyo. We had opportunities for other cities, but our choice was arrested on the capital. It is preferable to develop in Tokyo as a first step to not be limited by specific regional characteristics.

1Chambre of commerce and the international trade of the ICC in Grenoble 2Centre Japan French industry