Aprosela

APROSELA (Association for the Promotion of Artisanal Salt) was created in 1990 following work by the salt industry to improve the quality of artisanal sea salt from the Guérande basin. The association contributed, with the operators of the salt industry, to obtaining the Label Rouge for artisanal sea salt in 1991, the first official sign of quality and origin obtained for salt.

In May 2008, with the implementation of the 2006 agricultural orientation law, APROSELA was recognised as a Defence and Management Organisation (ODG) by the INAO* (National Institute of Origins and Quality) for Label Rouge Atlantic sea salt.

APROSELA is also responsible for the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) “Sel de Guérande – fleur de sel de Guérande” for which the association was recognised as ODG by the INAO* on 13 December 2010.

* The INAO (Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité) is a French public administrative body under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture. It assists operators who wish to obtain an official sign of origin and quality. It validates specifications and control plans. It recognises the defence and management organisations (ODG) and approves the certification bodies (OC). www.inao.gouv.fr

APROSELA currently brings together 358 salt workers and 9 operators (packaging and trading) in the hand-harvested sea salt sector in the Guérande basin who are involved in the SIQO (quality and origin identification signs) linked to their products: the PGI and the Label Rouge.

APROSELA is managed by a board of directors made up of representatives elected by its members within the two colleges: producers and traders. Since June 2009, a quality coordinator has been employed by the organisation.

The main tasks of APROSELA are :

• • Drawing up the specifications and the points to be checked (in collaboration with the Certification Body)
  • The animation of the operators for the implementation of the specifications
  • Participation in the defence and protection of names, products, terroirs and the promotion of products.

APROSELA guarantees that its members control the quality of hand-harvested sea salt as defined in the official Label Rouge and PGI “Sel de Guérande – Fleur de sel de Guérande” specifications.

APROSELA carries out its internal control missions in compliance with the specifications it manages under the responsibility of an external and independent certification body (CERTIPAQ).

APROSELA contributes to the general interest mission of preserving and developing salt marshes, local production traditions and know-how, as well as the products that come from them: grey sea salt and flower of salt.

APROSELA, via its technical committee, made up of administrators, advises producers on improving quality and using materials that respect standards, the product and the environment…

APROSELA provides services for the monitoring of other specifications related to the quality of salt.