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In Saône (Doubs), Alexandra Ruffier sells in her grocery trailer, more than 60 products, which customers take away in jars or in tissue or paper bags. A tailor-made conversion.
L’idée a mûri dans la douleur d’un burnout. Alexandra Ruffier avait passé l’essentiel de sa carrière dans la restauration et s’y plaisait. « J’étais serveuse, c’est dynamique, plein de contacts… ». Làs, La profession est incompatible avec élever trois enfants. Eux avaient des mots durs pour dire l’absence de leur mère, la fatigue, le rythme effréné… « Alors j’ai travaillé en usine durant une année, et là assise sans bouger derrière ma machine à coudre, je n’ai pas tenu ! ».
However, experience gave him the strength to concoct a project. "I wanted to be self-employed, what I knew how to do was catering. As a family, we were very committed to zero waste. The idea of a bulk grocery store came naturally. This service is lacking. I saw it every time I went shopping ”. Alexandra Ruffier is particularly keen on zero waste. "This is the solution that I have found to do something at my level to make the planet less bad. I buy second-hand clothes and furniture from Emmaüs. I fight against overpacking, I avoid big box stores and I buy locally most of the time. So I knew what was missing in the markets. The Boutique de Gestion in Besançon is helping him to set up his project. “In terms of market research, I am convinced that many of us have the same aspirations. On the other hand, I had some doubts about my ability to establish provisional balance sheets ". So she is learning.
Without truck, but in tow
Certainly the trend is towards food trucks, but Alexandra Ruffier does not want a truck, "to make me stand out, so that customers can serve themselves, and because it is difficult to drive". The idea of the trailer is therefore necessary.
Quest for suppliers, his project seduced "Le Moulin des Moines, organic pioneers trusted me. To encourage me they lend me the distribution columns that contain the products. This saved me € 5,000 in investment. I took advice from the Market Department of Vitabri and the city of Besançon. And I am continuing my search for suppliers ”. With the trailer open, customers just have to help themselves, they take their products in kraft bags, or in fabric, or come with their own jars. 60 references so far. Rice, pasta, dried fruits, legumes, but also dried oyster mushrooms directly from the Saône, chocolate or powder to prepare her spreads… Since August and her first markets, Alexandra Ruffier has already had regular customers. "They ask me for recipes, I gladly provide them, I have ideas with 3 children, I cook a lot". She also has projects, to sell coffee in beans and futures ... Grow her trailer into a bus that customers can get on ... But that's for later.
