Bigard, as the leading processor of meat in the French private sector, has been cultivating the “art of meat” for over 30 years. Today, the group comprises a number of competitive processing and slaughter plants, spread across the whole of France. All Bigard industrial sites fulfil the same requirement, i.e. they fully manage the supply chain, from the selection of animals to their slaughter and from carving to the manufacturing of processed products.
Slaughtering and meat-processing
BIGARD slaughters and processes beef, veal, pork and lamb. The company’s products are then sold on to supermarkets, craft butchers, or used in contract/commercial catering.
Manufacturing of fresh and frozen processed products
BIGARD offers retailers a choice of almost 130 products, including beef burgers, meat skewers, carpaccios and sausages. The company constantly strives to innovate with its Research and Development team, coming up with new concepts which helps it remain the market leaders.
Manufacturing of meat-based and ready-to-eat products
Thanks to BIGARD’s chefs’ cooking expertise, the company sells around 100 ready-to-eat products to supermarkets, including vol-au-vents, lobster gratins and verrines. Cured and cooked meat products round off this offering.
Leather curing
All of BIGARD’s slaughterhouses include a leather workshop where cattle and lamb hides are prepared, stored and dispatched to customers.
Aveyron & Segala Calf
North of the region Midi-Pyrenees extends a grandeur view of mountains and valleys. Segala is an area where agriculture is growing fast, using the traditional ways, as evidenced by the numerous lakes by the hills, the meadows and the fields of cereals.
Here, farmers and experts follow the calf ranching tradition, unique in Europe, and recognized for over a century: the Aveyron & Segala Calf.
Double Guarantee of Quality & Origin
By standing above 80%, Red Tag offers a highly recognized guarantee of high quality. Labeled meats, especially the ones of the Aveyron & Segala calf, thrive, precisely because they meet consumer expectations.
Defined quality criteria are met by the intervention of specialists in all phases of the distribution system. An independent certification body (Qualisud) has assumed control of the established rules. Because of the unique superior quality, reputation, and traditional breeding expertise, the Aveyron & Segala Calf is protected by the EU since July 1996.
850 Enthusiastic Live Stock Farmers
These people continue a local tradition, holding on the excitement and dynamism of the modern generation of farmers in the region.
All of them have undertaken the responsibility to abide by the golden rules of the traditional farming of the Aveyron & Segala Calf and to produce over 30,000 calves on a yearly basis.
Respecting Tradition
The Aveyron & Segala Calf breastfeeds twice a day while it follows a supplementary diet with a mix of cereals, plants and natural supplements of mineral or natural origin exclusively.The mothers follow a traditional diet based on the farm’s available greens during winter, while grazing in the meadow in the summer. As product of the best veal breeds: Limousine, Blonde d’Aquitaine and their crosses, the calf is free, housed in spacious pens where the straw layer is updated regularly.
Family-type Live Stock Farms
The rural facilities allow farmers to always be present in order to provide the special care needed for the calves. Natural farming allows the harmonious development of animals for 6-10 months (2-5 months more than the other calves).
Product Description of the Aveyron & Segala Calf
Fresh Red labeled meat
Animal Type: Male 190-270kg, Female: 170-250kg
Build: E – U – R
Fattening: 2 – 3 – 4
Color: Blonde
Red labeled products
Offal: Liver, heart, kidneys, tongue, cheek, head
Processed. Pr.: Minced meat, paupiettes, sausages
Cooked Food. (red labeled meat): baby food jars, saute
Frozen. Pr. (red labeled meat): minced meat, schnitzel, sautè
Commitments of the Distribution System
The IRVA (Interprofession Regionale du Veau d’Aveyron et du Ségala) defines and enforces the preservation of the traditional live stock farming rules based on the modern security and hygiene requirements. IRVA has implemented a system for the approval and monitoring of the meat distribution system at point of sale.
Live stock farming takes place in a certain area in the highlands of Segala and the neighboring cantons of the Aveyron, Tarn, Lot & Garonne counties.
Slaughter and Processing take place in certified laboratories in the region of Midi-Pyrenees and the neighboring counties.
Organization of special workflow procedures and control systems to ensure perfect quality.
Distribution takes place at points of sale, where the product’s accounting records are preserved along with the proper meat preparation procedures.
The strict traceability within the requirements of the Red Label, is governed by a dual system of approval. The first phase is physical and implemented by marking the animal or meat. The second phase is administrative and based on an efficient computer software, recording data from the whole product life line, from the farm to the consumer.
A product underlining all the stores
The Calf of Aveyron & Segala is of high quality and holds a very good reputation, a fact that enhances consumers’ interest. Stores selling these veal products become popular to customers, creating a regular clientele. You have the choice to buy an entire animal, cut in large parts, or veal in airtight packaging, or even UVC, offal and processed products, according to your suppliers capabilities.
Plants
Bigard Quimperle plant
Quimperle
ZI de Kergostiou
BP 53
29 393 Quimperle Cedex
Tel. : +33 02 98 06 24 24
Fax : +33 02 98 06 24 99
Email : dir.quimperle@bigard.fr
Director : Bernard TREGUER
Working personnel : 1400 people
Activities: Slaughterhouse, sausage, beef, veal, pork, fresh and frozen products.
Bigard Cuiseaux plant
Located North of Bourg and Bress in Cuiseaux. It is a modern slaugher house with a slaughtering capacity of 700 young bull and 2000 cows. These products are exported to Greece, Italy, Germany, and Holland.
Cuiseaux
ZA La Charbonniere
B.P. 1
71480 Cuiseaux
Tel. : +33 03.85.76.46.46
Fax : +33 03.85.76.46.55
email : dir.cuiseaux@bigard.fr
Director : Emmanuel MEUNIER
Working personnel : 550 people
Activities : Slaughtering and boning of beef, frozen processed products.
Bigard Castres plant
Castres
42, avenue Ludovic Julien
81100 Castres
Tel. : +33 05.63.51.44.00
Fax : +33 05.63.72.30.20
email : dir.castres@bigard.fr
Director : Philippe ALAZARD
Working personnel : 420 people
Activities: slaughtering and boning of beef and lamb, fresh meat products, ready-to-consume meat products.
Bigard Feignies plant
Feignies
Tel: +33 327 56 58 25
Mobile: +33 684 53 72 92
Fax: +33 327 56 58 01
Factory Manager: Francois MONTAGNE
Export Manager:Maxence LECOCQ
Working personnel: 300 people
Activities: slaughtering of beef (2200 beef per week – of which 1/3 young bull and 2/3 cow)
Bigard Vitry plant
Vitry-le-Francois
Rue Bois Guillaume
Z.I. Vitry Marolles
B.P. 63
51 302 Vitry-le-Francois
Tel. : +33 03.26.73.65.00
Fax : +33 03.26.73.65.20
email : dir.vitry@bigard.fr
Director: Christophe BELDENT
Working personnel : 250 people
Activities: Fresh meat products
Bigard Formerie plant
Formerie
Route de Gaillefontaine
60 220 Formerie
Tel. : +33 03.44.04.53.53
Fax : +33 03.44.46.10.60
Director: Philippe D’HULST
Working personnel: 120 people
Activities: slaughtering of beef