French Deli is a new French grocery store in Australia

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French Deli is a French grocer operating online and on the Gold Coast. Jane Point is the founder. She chats to us about the creation of French Deli, her memories of holidays in France and the French products that she misses the most. Read on to discover all of that and more.

What is French Deli and why did you decide to found it?

Born far from the Hexagon, holidays were spent in France, with my grand-parents. My grandmother My grandmother ran a grocery and cheese shop in the market in Cognac. My memories are of all the smells and good things we ate that we couldn’t find at home.

When I arrived in Australia, it was obvious for me to follow in my grandmother’s footsteps and open my own French grocery shop. Offering more than 850 food, beauty and accessory products. French Deli is truly the place where we try to get as many products as possible that are missing here in Australia.

How long have you been in Australia? Where are you from?

We have been in Australia for 8 years. We come from New Caledonia.

Where in France did you spend your holidays with your grandparents?

In Cognac, a little city situated near Bordeaux.

So what was your background before setting up French Deli?

You could say that French Deli is the start of my career. I’m only 20 years old. I graduated from high school and went on to do a business degree. After this short course, rather than continue with longer studies, it was clear to me that I should open my own business and give myself a real-life experience. Thanks to the experience of the people around me and a lot of support, I was able to bring to fruition this project that had been in my head for a long time.

The French Deli is a business that you founded with your mother. Does she have any experience in business or the food industry?

My mother is supporting me in launching my business. As I’m still young, I need advice, especially when it comes to running a business. My parents have already run several businesses and continue to supply raw materials to some of the biggest perfumers in Grasse, such as Guerlain. With their company, Pacific Scents, they are operating in a completely different field.

What French products do you miss the most in Australia, and is that part of the reason why you decided to set up French Deli?

When I arrived in Australia, I noticed that there was a lack of French products that I really missed. Obviously the classics like honey pops, Haribo sweets and traditional French biscuits for example. But for me, it was kinder joy that had always been my favourite chocolate. My childhood at my grandmother’s markets and this absence were the starting point for my professional project, which has since evolved and matured.

Do you also stock products from New Caledonia?

New Caledonia has been shaken by serious events since May, so it seems impossible to do business. A huge number of businesses have gone up in smoke…

How long has the French Deli existed? Did the online and physical shops open at the same time?

At the beginning of the year we started to open an online shop, sourcing our supplies from New Caledonia and from small structures in France, so that we could slowly get established and start to make a name for ourselves. Our shop opened when our first container arrived at the beginning of August.

Are there many French people on the Gold Coast where you’ve opened your shop?

There’s a small French community on the GC but we’re hoping to reach Australians too.

What sets the French Deli apart from other online or physical stores selling French products?

What sets our shop apart from others is our commitment to developing a truly rewarding in-store shopping experience. We value face-to-face interaction, which allows us to better understand our customers’ needs and offer them the right advice.

By investing in this dimension, we aim to offer a more attentive service and build lasting relationships with our customers, while complementing our online sales offering.

We also offer a wide range of products, from everyday items to regional specialities, available in several brands. We keep a close eye on trends and the needs of our customers, regularly introducing new products and adjusting our range according to feedback and specific requests.

How do you select the items you offer in your grocery store?

My grandmother guides me because she has decades of experience. She knows what people like. So we choose our products based on their popularity with the French and their longevity in French culinary traditions.

We monitor market trends and consumer preferences to select products that meet current demand. We also look for products that are not widely available in Australia to enrich our range.

Finally, and most importantly, we take into account the opinions and suggestions of our customers to adapt our range. Their feedback helps us to refine our choices and meet their expectations as closely as possible.

Are there any unique or rare French products that you are particularly proud to offer?

We try to offer products that are specific to certain French regions, such as foies gras or jams from different French regions that are not readily available in Australia.

How do you guarantee the authenticity of the products you sell?

We work directly with suppliers in France, which allows us to verify the provenance and production methods of the products.

How do you plan to cater for the varied tastes of French-speaking Australians?

Trend analysis: We analyse consumer preferences through sales and feedback to adapt our offer accordingly.

Diversity of offering: We offer a diverse range of products from classics to French regional specialities with well-known brands or private labels to satisfy a wide range of tastes.

Do you offer subscription boxes or selections for your customers?

That’s a very modern sales technique that couldn’t have been recommended to me! It’s a good idea, but we’re not sure it’s suited to the food sector. However, we’re always open to feedback and requests from our customers and we plan to introduce these options in the future if demand warrants. For the time being, we are concentrating on offering a diverse range of French products for sale in-store and online, to best meet our customers’ needs and preferences.

How do you manage your customers’ requests for specific French products?

Our team is trained to manage customer requests and suggestions, and works closely with our suppliers to meet these requests where possible.

What challenges have you faced in setting up or running the French Deli?

Logistics: With Australia on the other side of the world from France, supply times are a real challenge.

Regulations: Navigating Australia’s food import regulations required extensive work to ensure compliance with local standards.

Market Education: Making the Australian market aware of French products and their quality required considerable marketing and educational efforts.

How do you manage the logistics of importing products from France?

We work with logistics partners who specialise in transporting international food products, which arrive by container.

Have you encountered any difficulties with Australian biosafety regulations?

Yes, biosecurity regulations in Australia are rigorous and complex, and we have had to adapt to these standards:

Regulatory Compliance: We have worked closely with local authorities to ensure that all our products comply with biosecurity and import requirements.

Documentation and Inspection: We have put systems in place to ensure that all the required documentation is complete and that products undergo the necessary inspections to avoid any problems.

And you’ve also opened a physical shop on the Gold Coast?

Yes, we’ve already opened a physical shop in Australia, and we’re very happy about it! Our shop, located on the Gold Coast in Molendinar, allows us to create a real shopping experience for our customers and offer them direct access to a wide range of French products. The shop plays a key role in our commitment to bringing French products closer to Australian consumers and providing them with a space to discover and enjoy French food culture.

How do you engage with the French-speaking community in Australia? Do you collaborate with any French cultural organisations or events in Australia?

We have actively sought to engage with the French-speaking community in Australia and collaborate with cultural organisations and events. Unfortunately, we have encountered challenges due to the exclusivity established by some competitors with these organisations, which has limited our direct partnership opportunities to date.

That said, we remain committed to strengthening our presence and supporting the community. We continue to explore new opportunities and develop alternative initiatives to actively participate in local cultural life. We firmly believe that, despite these obstacles, it is essential to support and promote French culture in Australia, and we are committed to finding innovative ways to do so.

What role does social media or online marketing play in your business?

Social media and online marketing play an essential role in our strategy. They help us increase our visibility and engage our community by sharing information about our products.

In addition, although we have encountered challenges in promoting our opening through some traditional channels, we have found great value in Facebook groups and other online platforms. These tools have enabled us to maintain a direct connection with our community and obtain valuable feedback from our customers.

How important is it for you to educate Australians about French food culture?

French gastronomy is widely recognised for its refinement and culinary traditions, and we’re delighted to be able to offer Australians a chance to discover French products without having to travel to Europe.

We know that many Australians regularly visit Europe, particularly France, and are often excited to find products they’ve discovered on their travels. By enabling them to find these same products in Australia, we hope to enrich their daily culinary experience.

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We would like to thank Jane Point from French Deli for this interview.