"The number of female visitors to the Grimme booth at trade shows is increasing every year and that makes us very happy!" 

Lore, introduce yourself!

My name is Lore Thélu, I am 34 years old and I have a Master's degree in Marketing and International Negotiation. I spent my childhood in the countryside, growing up with grandparents who were farmers. I learned the hard work but also the values inherent to the agricultural world there. And now, since 6 years, I have been working in the industry as a Communication and Marketing Manager.

How did you find Grimme?

Through my experiences, I have been fortunate to build a network of supportive individuals with whom I enjoy regular exchanges. It was during one of these exchanges that the opportunity arose!

Grimme has a strong presence at agricultural shows. How important are trade shows to the company?

Trade shows are of paramount importance to us. Grimme is a family-owned company that is close to its customers. Participating in trade shows allows us to meet them in a unique setting, favourable to discussion and understanding of their current issues. It's also a great way to show them our products in a dedicated environment.

The role of women in our industry is evolving. Do you notice a difference at trade shows? 

Women have a very important role in the agricultural community. Sometimes, they are wives but they are often also the bosses of their own exploitations. It is therefore quite natural that more and more women are present at trade shows.

We also see that more and more women are joining the companier representing brands in professions such as Marketing, Reception, Human Resources and also in Technical Services.

Does Grimme take women into account when attending trade fairs, by organizing something specific for them, for example?

Yes! If our booth decoration was very plain just a few years ago, today we make it a point of honour to make sure it is a warm and pleasant place for all our visitors.

Do you have any idea how many women visit the Grimme booths?

I would say that 20% of our visitors are women, and this number is increasing every year which makes us very happy!

Do you notice a difference in perception towards women in our industry and at trade shows? What do you think could be done to improve things?

Let's face it, the agricultural world is not always an easy one. As women, we must constantly prove that we are just as capable of doing the same and sometimes better than men, and often still for a lower salary, unfortunately. I am trying in my own way to change this mentality and I remain optimistic for the future.

Has the recent health crisis changed Grimme's approach to trade shows?

Trade shows are still important because they allow us to get together on set dates, which we can schedule in our diaries, to meet. During the health crisis, it was very difficult for us to admit that these moments to meet our customers were not an option anymore. We had to adapt, reinvent ourselves and find other solutions to reach out to our customers. The field demonstrations allowed us to do this and we developed them.

How do you see the fairs evolving in the future?

For the last 4 years, most of the fairs have been cancelled. This year, 2022, marks the comeback of trade shows and we are thrilled about that. They have been able to adapt and offer different things, such as "le Job est dans le pré" ("the work is in the meadow", red.), which the Terres en fête fair has set up this year, with a live broadcast on a local channel. We are no longer here only as an access point to tools or (local) products for livestock farming, today we are also available to help companies looking for work to gain exposure, to communicate together and to get to those goals! If anything positive came from the crisis we've just lived through, it's that we've learned to put the people from our industry at the centre of our projects again.

Where can we find Grimme this year?

This year we will have the chance to meet again for the 20 years of Grimme France which will take place at the head office in Feuchy (62223) on July 7, 8 & 9. Next, you will find Grimme at Potato Europe in Hannover on September 7 & 8, 2022 and at the Interpom trade fair in Kortrijk, Belgium on November 27, 28 & 29.