Jean-Nöel Darniche: “Inspiring the plant-based transition”
Published on 11/22/2024
Thematics :
Jean-Nöel Darniche: “Inspiring the plant-based transition”
Published on 11/22/2024
How he thought the meeting went:
“NEOMA students are really ready to take up the food transition challenge! I could tell from the ‘inspirational meetings’ I took part in as a former student. Over half the students are flexitarian, they expect more accessible plant-based solutions and a strong commitment to preserving the agricultural sectors and taking up the challenges of sustainability. That’s a great challenge for our Bonduelle and Cassegrain brands, already fully committed in that direction, to take up alongside this new and very committed generation.”
The NEOMA Alumnni magazine devoted several pages to Jean-Nöel Darniche in December 2023. Here are some extracts from the interview with him.
How did you come to work in the agri-food sector? It was NEOMA that guided me in that direction. Previously I didn’t really have any idea of what I wanted to do, but NEOMA was a great time of exploration for me. In the course of the meetings and experiences I had, and thanks to the internship opportunities, I was able to begin my career in the agri-food business. In these professions, the relationship between the brand and the consumers, people, is simple and direct, and that’s something I really like. You get involved with real everyday life. When you find a path through life that you like, as was the case with me, well, you follow it.
What managerial challenges have you met at Bonduelle, in particular any that arose because you’re now managing a staff twice as large as at Bel where you spent twenty-five years? It’s not the number of colleagues itself that was a challenge, but rather the diversity of the teams. They had to be united behind a common objective, while setting a framework that allowed them to develop their skills, expertise and experience. For me and my leadership team, one of our priorities is to organise training and interesting career pathways so we have teams who are always learning and who develop loyalty to the company.
What is that ‘common objective’? To inspire the transition to plant-based food, good for us and also for the planet, by encouraging low-carbon consumption. The first task is to carry forward this major societal mission through our innovations, and to get the teams on board so that every member of staff is an ambassador. And, of course, we also have economic performance objectives, to develop our brands and achieve long-term growth.
How would you assess these years at Bonduelle, and how do you see the future? I am delighted to have discovered this group’s cultural environment and to be working with committed teams, constantly developing, who have met all expectations, whether in terms of economic performance despite the crises, or in the way they lead on our mission to carry forward the plant-based transition. The French are in favour of this transition, but they need to be inspired to consume in a different way, there is a lot of work still to be done. Personally speaking, my driving force is to learn and to be inspired, and I feel that at Bonduelle, an international group rich in opportunity. I have certainly not finished exploring the possibilities.
This interview was published in full in the magazine NEOMA Alumni. Click HERE to read it.