the flour market | France

1.1 Definition and scope of study

The flour is a powder obtained by grinding and molding different cereals or other solid agricultural food products, which are often seeds. When it is derived from gluten-containing cereals such as wheat, flour, is the most common type of gluten one of the main components of the diet of many people in the world . It is the basis of bread, dough and many dishes. The term flour encompasses several types of products, referenced by several product codes

• 1101: Wheat and meslin flours
• 1102: Flours of other cereals (maize (corn), barley, etc.)
• 1106: Flours, meal and powder
• 2302: Flours, powders and agglomerates

In France, flour is available in several types (T45, T65 etc) and the higher the number following the T, the more the flour is said to be wholemeal (rich in bran).

The market players are divided between suppliers of raw materials, mill manufacturers, equipment suppliers, distributors and end users.  

France is the 2nd largest flour-producing country in Europe . This market knows stable growth of 1.5% in 2018 . And has recently been experiencing a return to normal after the upheaval caused by Covid-19. More generally, French players export to more than 90 destinations in the world, but the majority of production is destined for the European Union (96%). Imports, for their part, come almost exclusively from the EU, particularly from Germany (70.6%).

In the mass retail sector, the trend is to favour players who develop true brand strategies . In this vein, the Grands Moulins de Strasbourgs group is developing its premium brand Gruau d'Or, which is characterised by the use of resealable heat-sealed bags and by the offer of top-of-the-range gluten-free organic flours.

While the VIDOC-19 crisis led to a slowdown in the sector's sales, the flour sector held up well thanks to continuity in the activities of artisanal bakeries and industrial bakery-pastry (BVP) during the containment period