Vincent Jacopin
“You shouldn’t be afraid of the future!” Vincent Jacopin exclaims. This thirty-year-old has taken his future in his own hands by preparing, with the help of his sponsor Philippe Léon, his vegetable growing business in the municipality of Guipavas (Finistere).
Next July, Vincent Jacopin will officially be his own boss. He will manage 2.6 hectares of tomato greenhouses heated through cogeneration. “The entry bar for the business is high in order to be able to start off under the best conditions. A sponsorship was necessary to obtain high-quality financing and be able to discuss strategic business choices: Equipment, production, supplier negotiations, financial, social and administrative management,” he says.
I wanted to take the first step
An experienced mentor
Vincent found this guarantee of experience in his former employer, Philippe Léon, who became his sponsor within the Savéol cooperative. “We met in 2004” recalls Philippe. “My brother and I had recruited Vincent for a seasonal job. Very quickly, I suggested that he become a cultivation leader. He was 22 years old and already had responsibilities. Thanks to his level of education* and motivation, he was technically strong. Beyond that, I noticed he had good management skills. ”
Twelve years later, Vincent would replace Jean-Yves, Philippe’s brother who retired, by buying the oldest part of the company he is in the process of modernising. Along with Philippe, he invested in a cogeneration unit that would heat their respective greenhouses.
The grit to take the first step
“I thought carefully about the opportunity to set up business. The more seasons passed, the more I wanted to get started,” Vincent says, describing himself as “motivated by the desire to make decisions and to take responsibility, but also reassured by the fact that I am surrounded by my sponsor and by the cooperative that accompanies me while I set up business. ”
For the time being, Vincent is finalising his business plan. A challenge that he intends to overcome with “the advice of Philippe, Savéol's quality guarantee, and also the support of my wife and my three children. ”
* BTS in plant technology.
