Bonduelle Bienvenue: should branded retail be added as a new distribution channel in France?

French based Bonduelle had become the world’s leading processed vegetables business, and now sold to customers in the retail food, food service and food-manufacturing industries, using traditional distribution channels. In order to encourage customers to develop and enhance their relationships with the brand, Bonduelle had decided to follow the recent trend observed with other brand manufacturers of opening experience stores, sometimes described as “concept stores” or “flagship stores”. In 2010 Bonduelle had thus opened its first concept store The All-Vegetable Showcase Store near the Group headquarters in Villeneuve d’Ascq (North of France). Branded "Bonduelle Bienvenue", the store stocked 250 products within the four Bonduelle product categories, the biggest ever range of prepared vegetables. This multifaceted commercial space was unique in the world (as it was entirely dedicated to processed vegetables) and was positioned by Bonduelle as a response to changes in the consumer society. However, could the success of “Bonduelle Bienvenue” be replicated throughout the country by opening such stores near each of the 13 plants Bonduelle was running in France? Was this branded retail strategy appropriate for food producers? Did it announce what food retail would be in the future? If Bonduelle had reached a brand status, could it become a retail brand?