IMPORTING A
TASTE OF TIMELESS ELEGANCE 
[…]
Even if Giant Eagle and other chains don’t invest in lavish promotions in French foods, new companies such as San Francisco-based Life in Provence, will be meeting Americans’ insatiable appetite for French products.
The interest in French delicacies is so intense that Life in Provence partners Donatien and Julien have concentrated exclusively on foods from Provence. That’s anything but a narrow selection of foods, according to Donatien. “Not only are we offering food from a single region, but all the products are natural, with no preservatives,” he says.
Life in Provence’s core lines consist of salad dressings, mayonnaise, mustards, vegetables, ratatouille, vegetable mélange, sautéed eggplant, olive oils, olives and caponata. The lines have been so well-received that Donatien plans to tempt American taste buds with new specialty items.
“Over the next few months, we’ll introduced old fashioned jam and Provencal herbs, which will be sold in specialty-food stores and high-end supermarkets,” says Donatien.
He attributes the success of existing lines to intensive consumer-driven marketing. “We just don’t put products on shelves,” Donatien explains. “It’s important that consumers know about the products they’re buying, their history and ingredients, and recipes for preparing them. This way, they can appreciate why they’re priced higher than similar products.”
Donatien’s goal is to drive home his products’ special taste with intensive marketing efforts. “Most consumers want to know what’s behind the product’s distinctive flavor,” he says. “It’s worth the trouble to educate buyers about our exclusive recipes from Provence.” The timing couldn’t be better. “Americans are open to trying imported products,” Donatien says.
“In the past, most of the interest came from buyers on the East and West Coasts. Now we’re seeing interest in the Midwest and South as well.”
Because of the national curiosity in French products, Donatien is working to build a strong national distribution, targeting large chains as well as specialty food stores, which constitute his primary market. “There is a strong demand for products like olive oil and garlic mayonnaise,” he adds.
That’s for starters. Donatien’s long term mission is to launch new lines and to market the region of Provence on a major scale. “I hope to sell tablecloths and tableware and create promotions in which consumers win trips to Provence,” he says. “If consumers love the food, they’ll also want to visit Provence to experience its culture and purchase its products”
[…]
--Bob Weinstein
(c) Food Distribution Magazine, August 1999