Gironde. "Orders have increased by 20%": this leading freeze-dried food company is attracting both the military and athletes

The Nutridry group, one of whose factories is located in Captieux, supplies long-life meals to the French army, fire and rescue services, individuals, and even local authorities like Bordeaux. A rapidly growing market

At first glance, the Captieux production site doesn't really look like a factory. "The office section is located in a former train station," smiles Charlotte Rodrigues, marketing manager for Emergency Food. "It's a nice nod to SNCF, one of our clients. We supply them with meal boxes, for example, in case of major delays." With its eight brands, the Nutridry group, founded in 2021, has developed four areas of expertise, each corresponding to a specific type of demand.

The mobile section is primarily intended for outdoor activities, the security aspect for emergency situations (traffic problems, natural disasters, health emergencies, etc.), the performance products meet the needs of athletes, and finally, the culinary field, among other things intended for institutional catering.

The Captieux site covers 3,000 ^square meters of offices, factory, and warehouse space. "We handle all of Nutridry's freeze-drying operations. The expertise is here," says Cathy Anduran, production manager, pointing to the four machines that use the chemical process of sublimation. This technique transforms the solid water contained in food into a gas, which is then drawn into a cold trap. "The advantage, compared to dehydration, is that the product retains its vitamins," emphasizes Charlotte Rodrigues.

A solution that allows meals to be preserved for extended periods, up to twenty-five years for one of the Emergency Food brand's product lines. This is enough to meet the French army's tender requirements. "The military sources its supplies from Nutridry, but so do other foreign armies, the SNCF (French National Railway Company), Decathlon, and certain departmental fire and rescue services (SDIS)," explains the company. Such as the one in Gironde. Municipalities are also starting to turn to these products. The city halls of Bordeaux, Cannes, Carcassonne, and Marseillan, in particular, have built up stocks by ordering from the group.

Of Nutridry's eight brands, two have seen significant growth in recent years. "After Covid, there was a surge in outdoor activities," explains Laura Bissieres, Marketing Manager. "Orders for Voyager on-the-go meal products increased by 20% compared to 2024. We were completely sold out." The empty shelves attest to their success. The same is true for the safety equipment division. "Demand is growing by 10% annually across the entire market," confirms Charlotte Rodrigues.

This trend is unlikely to fade quickly. In its "All Resilient" survival guide, soon to be distributed to the French public, the government advises putting together a survival kit. This includes a flashlight, a first-aid kit, and food supplies. This should ensure a bright future for the group, which plans to expand its Captieux site and add a production line.