Agri-food industry in Brittany: the keys to recruiting the best profiles in 2025

The food industry is Brittany's leading industrial sector and a key economic driver for the region. Yet companies are struggling to recruit, and this challenge is only intensifying. An aging workforce, the declining attractiveness of professions, the demands of new generations, changing expectations... Managers need to rethink their recruitment and integration strategies if they are not to stunt their growth.

So, what are the current tensions in the agri-food job market? What are the concrete solutions for anticipating and securing recruitment?

Decryption with Mélanie, agri-food recruitment expert at Alphéa Conseil, which supports Breton companies in this battle for talent.

A vital sector for Brittany... short of hands

Brittany's leading industrial sector, but under stress

"Agrifood in Brittany is a sector that is not experiencing a crisis. Companies are investing and modernizing, but it takes men and women to keep the production lines running. And that's where the problem lies", confides Mélanie.

The agri-food industry represents over 70,000 jobs in Brittany, i.e. a quarter of the region's industrial jobs. Yet, according to APEC and Pôle emploi, over 50% of agri-food companies are finding it difficult to recruit, and this figure climbs even higher for certain strategic positions.

The jobs with the most pressure?

• Maintenance technicians: few candidates trained, while demand is exploding.
• Quality and QHSE managers: increased requirements, need for experienced profiles.
• Workshop managers and line operators: technical professions, often working shifted hours, difficult to fill.

80% of hires fail not on technical skills, but on the cultural fit between candidate and company.

Structural brakes on hiring

Why are these recruitment difficulties? Several factors come into play:

• A demanding and physical profession: working shifted hours, strict health constraints.
• An aging population: in some workshops, 30 to 40% of the workforce will retire within 10 years.
• A shift in candidate expectations: Generation Z favors quality of life, flexible schedules and corporate values.
• A training deficit: schools are not training enough talent in technical professions (maintenance, production, quality).

"The companies that adapt to these realities are the ones that will succeed in securing their recruitment and avoiding rapid departures," explains Mélanie.

How can Breton food companies recruit more effectively?

A paradigm shift: the key is anticipation

Waiting until the last moment to recruit is the number one mistake. A successful recruitment takes place 6 months to 1 year in advance.Companies that start too late often have to compromise, with an increased risk of failure.

"If you want to integrate a technician before the end of the year, now is the time to start the process," insists Mélanie.

Be attractive: don't recruit just anyone!

Today, a good candidate has a choice. "Companies have to sell themselves as much as candidates! Those that offer a modern working environment, suitable working hours and a good social climate are the ones that recruit most easily."

Companies therefore need to look after their attractiveness:

• Competitive salaries,
• Innovative scheduling arrangements: some switch to all-day or test the 4-day week.
• Better communication about professions: immersive videos, employee testimonials, plant tours to show everyday life.
• Solid integration paths: mentoring, internal training, skills upgrading.

"The companies that recruit best are those that focus on people and support."

Proactively pursuing talent

"Posting an ad is no longer enough. 70% of the best profiles are not actively looking."

This is where a recruitment expert makes the difference:

• Identifying hidden talents

• Direct approach to top candidates

• Securing the process to avoid casting errors

"Recruitment isn't just about a CV that fits a job description. It's a personality that has to fit into a team."

At Alphéa Conseil, Mélanie goes beyond simple recruitment. She visits the site, analyzes the corporate culture and finds the right candidate to match the team in place.

Successful recruitment: the example of a Breton Cooperative

A concrete example? One of Brittany's leading agri-food companies called on Alphéa Conseil to recruit 4 key profiles in 3 months :

• 2 workshop managers

• 1 maintenance manager

• 1 plant manager

Thanks to proactive monitoring and a solid network, Mélanie identified profiles matching not only the skills required, but also the DNA of the company. Result: a success rate well above the market average.

"We have a 100% field approach. I go on site, I meet the teams, I understand the corporate culture. That's how we recruit the right people."

Anticipate, attract, retain: the three pillars of tomorrow's agri-food recruitment

The agri-food market in Brittany is buoyant, but recruitment tensions are real.

Companies that anticipate, innovate on their working conditions and take care of their image are the ones that will succeed in attracting and keeping good talent.

Using a specialist recruitment expert saves time, identifies hidden talent and avoids casting errors.