Created in 2007, the brand “Le Lyonnais, Monts et Coteaux” promotes local food related businesses and refers to a rural area situated in between two major urban areas of Lyon and St Etienne. Supported by local authorities and gathering more than 140 companies, the brand is a global development tool to leverage on economic, social, cultural and environmental issues.

The brand was created in 2007 by professionals and elected representatives from the area. They were conscious of their favorable geographical location (40 km from the two main cities: Lyon and Saint-Etienne) and of diversity of their production and savoir-faire, but at the same time they were fully aware of the lack of recognition for their territory in regards to the two big cities. For all those reasons, they created this structure to build up a collective territorial identification brand called “Lyonnais Monts et Coteaux”. Today, the association, ruled by the 1901 law, brings together professionals from the following sectors: dairy products, meat and butchery products, berry fruits, AOC wines from Coteaux du Lyonnais, fruit juices, saffron, vine peaches, restaurants, Bed & breakfasts.

–          Objectives:

• Promote quality products, knowledge and companies from the territory, insisting on the authenticity of the grower’s savoir-faire and artisanal process
• Promote the territory “Monts et Coteaux du Lyonnais”: between Lyon and Saint-Etienne, 78 townships for approximately 160 000 inhabitants. (See map)
• Encourage networking among economic actors to make them work in local trade systems
• Maintain men, knowledge and economic tools on the territory

–          Results:

• More than 400 companies which were individually met
• More than 140 companies member of the collective brand
• About fifteen communication media connections made
• More than fifty participations in local events
• More than 350 name quotes in press releases
• More than 500 economic connections made between local companies

Today, the brand development faces its limits in terms of action (€ 40k for annual budget, no product commercialisation, 1.5 full-time equivalent employees) but also in terms of intervention scope (the area is too restricted to develop a collective brand) and even in terms of denomination (complicated name). All these elements are obstacles to keep this association efficient, to communicate on its actions, and to get all the recognition it deserves.

CONTACT :
Mr Régis GAUTIER – Director
Ms Julie SAUBIN – Marketing
Tél. +33(0)4 78 48 57 66
marquecollective@le-lyonnais.org
www.le-lyonnais.org