WHO WE ARE

Philippe Tempier, Director

It was perhaps inevitable that Philippe would have a career in the world of fresh produce. At the tender age of seven, growing up in the beautiful town of Avignon, France, when he was not at school, he would trail the fields and farms of Provence with his father, visiting growers and farmers markets, learning the skills of the job for his future.

After studying in Paris he graduated with a business degree and went to work in America for a year before returning to France, gravitating towards the world of fruit and vegetables, building on the interests he had developed in childhood.

He worked for more than 15 years for Primarco France in Rungis, responsible for the Paris market but also the export side of the business, mainly in England, but also in Northern Europe and North America. French Garden Ltd became one of his first customers and they continued to develop links over the years, so it was only natural when he finally joined the company in 2005.

Philippe runs French Garden Direct from Rungis, nurturing long term partnerships with French farmers, importing produce directly from Portugal and Germany and selling to the UK and France, but also all over Europe and North America.

Lucian Cojanu, Head of European Sales

Graduating with a degree in economics and business and fluent in French, German, English and Romanian, Lucian is an essential component of the French Garden Direct business.

He joined the company in November 2012 and is in charge of sourcing produce while exporting to Germany, UK, Holland, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, the Baltic countries, and Hungary.

His advanced knowledge of the fruit and vegetable sector in France and Europe – he has worked within this area for 30 years – gives him an encyclopaedic knowledge of produce varieties, logistics, packaging, seasonality, legislation and custom clearance.

Previous positions have seen him work for Primarco, France and NIDECO, France, exporting for premium customers like Harrods and Selfridges in London as well as the Galleries Lafayette, France, and supplying Formula 1 circuits around the world.

He has exported by air and sea to the Gulf countries, Hong Kong, and the USA (Las Vegas Hotels and Disney World) and imported produce from European countries and the USA.