How Courchesne Larose Relies on Blue Book for Industry Leadership and Growth
For more than a century, Courchesne Larose has been at the forefront of fresh fruit and vegetable distribution in Canada. Founded in 1918, the company has evolved from a local wholesaler to a leading player in the international import and distribution of produce, serving provinces across Canada. Under the leadership of Guy Millett, the Executive Vice President, Courchesne Larose continues to grow and adapt to a rapidly changing industry, and one of their key partners in this journey is Blue Book.
Blue Book has become an essential tool for Courchesne Larose, helping the company navigate everything from procurement and sales to credit management and market intelligence. Millett explains the critical role Blue Book plays in their daily operations:
Procurement Intelligence: A Powerful Tool to Identify the Right Suppliers
“When you get times to either look for different vendors, get information on vendors or on customers for export, Blue Book has been a valuable tool, especially since the Blue Book online is now accessible. The latest versions have very powerful searching tools that allow you to do some very specific requests. If you want to find a grower of a specific product, but you don’t want the brokers, you can pinpoint your research and only have growers. And you can also have growers based on their rating,” Millett shares.
This level of precision and detail is a key advantage for Courchene Larose as they look to expand their supplier base and maintain the highest quality standards for their customers.
Credit Intelligence: Monitoring Risk with Real Time Alerts
For a company like Courchesne Larose, dealing with the financial aspects of numerous suppliers and customers is vital to maintaining healthy business relationships. Blue Book’s Credit Intelligence platform provides the company with essential tools to evaluate and manage their credit risks effectively. “The credit sheet that we receive on a weekly basis are valuable information especially on our export side. But one tool that we use a lot is the watchdog list. You’re able to actually come and select either suppliers or customers, and assume that something happened with these watchdog lists, you get notified immediately. This is priceless,” says Millett.
Having access to timely credit reports and being able to set up automatic notifications for specific accounts ensures that Courchesne Larose stays on top of its financial health. Millett highlights how critical this feature is to their operations: “As far as the credit sheet, it’s a valuable tool because you’re able to instantly change something. You can go online and bring some modification to either our own company or to any credit report to any company that you’re actually dealing with, which is quite easy. Back in the days, everything was paper, but today, with the online tool, you do that in a snap.”
Business Builder Intelligence: Grow Your Business
For Courchesne Larose, Blue Book isn’t just about managing risk—it’s also about growth. As the company expands across Canada and into new markets, Blue Book’s Business Builder Intelligence platform helps them stay connected with customers and vendors alike. “We consider Blue Book as a partner because this is where we want to advertise exactly for the same reason. If they are valuable sources for the entire industry, this is where we want to put our time, effort, and money,” Millett explains.
This partnership goes beyond business transactions—Blue Book provides Courchesne Larose with a platform to communicate their story, advertise their offerings, and build their reputation in the industry.
Sales Intelligence: Key to Accelerate Your Revenue
Millett acknowledges that Blue Book’s Sales Intelligence platform is indispensable for identifying new business opportunities and staying competitive in a fast-paced market. “Blue Book has the entire list of produce companies in this industry since the really beginning of their existence. Courchesne Larose has been working with the Blue Book since the Blue Book existed, because the Blue Book’s primary goal was to list every single produce company in there for their members. We were recognized as a training member in 1958. That goes a long time,” Millett notes.
The sales intelligence features help Courchesne Larose pinpoint potential customers and vendors, streamlining the process of finding the right business partners. “Our transport department is using Blue Book like there’s no tomorrow because every time we need to get the right information, we can use Blue Book to find the contact person for that company. It works from home at night, during the weekend. We have access to information to reach the right people that we need.”
A Legacy Built on Consistency
Millett reflects on the long-term partnership between Courchesne Larose and Blue Book: “You don’t go to war using a cannon called Blue Book. You use Blue Book as your infantry because you shoot every day. It’s the fifty, sixty, seventy years of shooting every day that makes a difference.”
For Courchesne Larose, Blue Book’s consistent presence and support over decades have been instrumental in their ability to maintain strong relationships with vendors, buyers, and industry peers. Millett emphasizes the importance of Blue Book’s ongoing value: “What we’re happy and satisfied with the Blue Book is a long achievement and consistent daily presence. There’s not one day that goes by that buyers don’t use electronic Blue Book.”
And a Partnership for the Future
Looking ahead, Millett is confident that Courchesne Larose’s relationship with Blue Book will continue to support the company’s growth and success. “We have to work with the Blue Book. They’re nice people to deal with. They have so many different departments, from credit to customer service, and you get answers. Working with the Blue Book is simple,” Millett concludes.
In an industry that demands speed, precision, and adaptability, Courchesne Larose’s use of Blue Book has been essential in helping them navigate the complexities of global sourcing, credit management, and business growth. Through their continued partnership with Blue Book, Courchesne Larose is well-equipped to thrive in the dynamic world of fresh produce distribution for years to come.
