The Dordogne region
Introduction An easy access to the Dordogne A strategic choice for business Marc Mercier, Director of Périgord Développement Bergerac Wines -Treasure of the Dordogne Dordogne vineyards business opportunities Optical fiber network gives high speed Internet Success Stories in the Dordogne Owning your own vineyard Grape Alternatives Success Story in the Dordogne: Britlike 450 British companies already registered Dordogne high growth potential: Bio industry The “Aerospace Valley” The Agriculture and Food industry The Tourism industry The Forestry and Paper industry FBCCI opens in the Dordogne Tourism in the Dordogne: a huge potential Highlights of two opportunities in the Dordogne PRD support Success Story: Château de Villars Opportunity in Bergerac Success Story: Gite in the Dordogne Save the date: Périgord Développement in London The Tourism Industry - Summer season The French Social Security Model

BRITLIKE, a British company set up in 2004, is specialised in the online distribution of traditional British food products such as Marmite and Heinz baked beans. They had decided to implement a new franchising system.

The products being mainly sold to British citizens living abroad, and bearing in mind the size of the British community in the Dordogne, it made sense for Britlike to implement their services over here, targeting small supermarkets and rural shopkeepers and offering them the opportunity to have a “British Corner” in their outlets.

Further to a meeting with Britlike, Marc Mercier, Périgord Développement Director, introduced the project to his colleagues at the Dordogne Chamber of Commerce and Industry in charge of the “Action Territoriale”, and together they worked very closely for the next few months.

Of their visit to the Dordogne in April 2006, David Ashdown says: “Our visit to the Dordogne was very welcoming and warm, as well as informative and constructive. We were extremely grateful for the support that Périgord Développement and the Dordogne Chamber of Commerce and Industry provided us with. With their help, we were able to move forward with the project and start developing close ties with the region. ”

Following a presentation made at the Rural Shopkeepers AGM back in spring 2006, Jacky Larroque, a well-known and highly respected personality in that industry, immediately identified the opportunity as relevant and promising, and soon signed a contract with Britlike as their Master Franchisee for the Dordogne. His involvement has been key in contacting and selecting suitable partners in the franchise network.

Finalising first orders as we speak, all parties involved in the partnership are very enthusiastic about the project.

Périgord Développement and the Dordogne Chamber of Commerce and Industry also arranged for Britlike to explore and seriously envisage a parallel importing business of traditional food products from the Dordogne into the UK.