We were expecting them, and they have finally begun! Every year at Pouliquen, the planting of traditional shallots is an event. For us, specialists in shallot packaging and trading, it marks the start of a new season and is an opportunity to get out into the field. Once again, we only had a few kilometres to travel to the neighbouring village of Sibiril, to visit a plot in the process of being planted. Let us take you there.
Much-awaited shallot plantings
Like many regions of Western Europe, Brittany has not been spared from heavy rainfall in recent weeks. We had to wait for the rain to stop and for the soil to be ready to work again. In early March, the starting gun was fired. Bulb by bulb, row by row, the shallots are planted by hand. An ancestral method, passed down from generation to generation, ensuring the quality and authenticity of the product.
The delay is slight — a few weeks at most — and the growers know it: Breton soil, when it is ready, does not deceive. The harvest is expected in mid-July. Until then, there will be monitoring, weeding, and protecting. And waiting.
The delay is slight — a few weeks at most — and the growers know it: Breton soil, when it is ready, does not deceive. The harvest is expected in mid-July. Until then, there will be monitoring, weeding, and protecting. And waiting.
The traditional shallot: Brittany’s finest
In the plot, the rows grow neatly. Each bulb is pressed by hand into the soil, positioned and secured. No machine, no shortcut. This gesture, repeated thousands of times on every plot, is the first condition for the final quality of the product.
Because the traditional Breton shallot is, above all, a product that tolerates no half-measures. Its fine golden flesh, its flavour that is both delicate and distinctive, its texture when cooked… all of this begins in the soil. The northern Brittany production area, with its light soils, oceanic climate and experienced growers, offers exactly the conditions it requires.
Because the traditional Breton shallot is, above all, a product that tolerates no half-measures. Its fine golden flesh, its flavour that is both delicate and distinctive, its texture when cooked… all of this begins in the soil. The northern Brittany production area, with its light soils, oceanic climate and experienced growers, offers exactly the conditions it requires.
In the kitchen, it shines everywhere
Raw, it enhances a vinaigrette or a tartare without overpowering them. Cooked, it melts into sauces, caramelises gently, elevates a foie gras or a fillet of sea bass. Chefs know it well. Wholesale buyers and institutional catering purchasers do too: it is a product that delivers on its promises, batch after batch, season after season.
It is no coincidence that it is now sought well beyond the borders of Brittany, reaching the gastronomic markets of Europe.
It is no coincidence that it is now sought well beyond the borders of Brittany, reaching the gastronomic markets of Europe.
Pouliquen, shallot trading and packaging, at the field’s edge for over a century
Just a few kilometres separate Pouliquen’s headquarters in Cléder from the shallot plots — sometimes just a few dozen metres. This is not trivial. For over a century, our company has been built here, at the heart of the production area, precisely so as never to lose sight of what gives the product its value.
Relations with partner growers are not ordinary commercial relationships. They are built over time, on trust, sometimes across several generations. It is this proximity — central to our work in shallot packaging and trading — that enables us to know the condition of the land before the first bulbs are even planted, to anticipate climate risks, and to forecast volumes.
Result: Pouliquen has been the European leader in shallot packaging for over 10 years. A position that does not happen by chance. It is built year after year, plot after plot.
Relations with partner growers are not ordinary commercial relationships. They are built over time, on trust, sometimes across several generations. It is this proximity — central to our work in shallot packaging and trading — that enables us to know the condition of the land before the first bulbs are even planted, to anticipate climate risks, and to forecast volumes.
Result: Pouliquen has been the European leader in shallot packaging for over 10 years. A position that does not happen by chance. It is built year after year, plot after plot.
2025-2026 season: shallots available now at Pouliquen
The plantings have just started, but the shallots of the current season are still available. This is the other dimension of shallot packaging and trading: storage. At Pouliquen, mastery of storage conditions makes it possible to offer traditional Breton shallots all year round, without breaks, without compromising on quality.
The 2025-2026 season shallots are available today, in both conventional and organic. The organic traditional shallot responds to growing demand, driven by professional buyers who are looking for both taste quality and environmental commitment. It follows the same requirements for hand cultivation, the same territorial roots, the same selection standards as the conventional shallot.
The 2025-2026 season shallots are available today, in both conventional and organic. The organic traditional shallot responds to growing demand, driven by professional buyers who are looking for both taste quality and environmental commitment. It follows the same requirements for hand cultivation, the same territorial roots, the same selection standards as the conventional shallot.
Shallot packaging: from net to braid, every format has its place
Because needs differ depending on whether one supplies a supermarket aisle, institutional catering or a specialist grocer, Pouliquen offers a full range:
Nets: for self-service aisles:
- 250 g, 500 g, 1 kg
Braids: premium segment, fine food shops, high-end restaurants:
- 250 g, 350 g, 500 g
Bags and big-bags: for large volumes:
- 5 kg and 20 kg bags
Big-bags for industrial needs and export
Two grades available depending on use: 20-40 mm or 30-50 mm.
See you in July!
New rows of shallots are planted every hour. In a few months, it will be those same hands that pull up the precious bulbs, before sorting, grading and packaging. An entire well-oiled, human chain, rooted in our territory, Brittany.
While we wait for the harvest, the 2025-2026 season shallots are available. If you would like to find out more about our stock, our grades or our delivery terms, contact our sales team directly. We will get back to you quickly. We may not be far from the fields, but we are always at our post, ready to respond to your requests.
