About us : Rachid Tahar, Head of Apple-Pear Shipping
11 December 2025
His arrival at Lagache?
Rachid arrived a month ago, last October. His arrival came as a surprise… without really being one. It’s all about passion and meeting people.
Rachid knows Xavier well. Their professional paths have crossed several times: at Ballester Sénéchal where they worked together for 4 years. A few years later, Xavier bought Lagache and Rachid bought Santolaria with a partner. At that point, they were neighbours.
That’s when Xavier and Rachid reconnected. “We always got on well with Xavier. He gave me some advice on certain aspects of running the business. Later, Rachid met Hubert Duez, Shipping Manager at Lagache, and they worked together on the apple-pear business.
Although Rachid has been involved in F&V for years, developing his own business is something else entirely. After 3 years as General Manager of Santolaria, he decided to refocus on what he really loves and where he thrives: buying and selling fruit and vegetables.
After being approached several times at the Lille wholesale market, he said YES to Lagache without hesitation.
Can you tell me about your job and what you like about it?
“Today I concentrate on buying and selling apples and pears for Lagache’s shipping department. I buy from Belorta, direct from producers and sell to wholesalers all over France. It’s not only what I prefer but also where I feel I belong.
What’s made me want it even more is to be in charge of this new apples and pears ‘department’ on the shipping side. It’s a great challenge. For me to be at the top of my game, I put values and people first. That’s what makes me good. At Lagache, everything was there”.
What Rachid enjoys most is the interaction with producers, buyers and colleagues. It’s his energy: “If I like the team, I get involved! I joke around a lot, but I’m also serious about my work. When people are at the centre, you can do both”.
In a few words, why are you proud to be part of the Lagache team?
Our values are compatible, there’s a spirit of mutual support, I feel positive vibes, it boosts morale, we eat together, we work hard but in a healthy atmosphere. When you put all that together, it makes all the difference.
