Pépinière du Parc : Sharing Excellence
« The biggest advantages of grouping together? Mutual aid and sharing, but also savings and continuous training. »
Robin Lapointe, co-owner, Pépinière du Parc
Founded by Renée Soucy and Robert Lapointe in 1987, the company from Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, in Mauricie, has been part of the Groupex network since 2013. It is a production nursery that, over the years, has greatly diversified to become a garden center, then offer maintenance and landscaping services, as well as a complete agrotourism experience (woodsman’s maze, café-terrace, chalets, etc.).
Robin Lapointe, co-owner and son of the founding couple, explains that the many advantages of being part of the cooperative were not necessarily all known from the start: ‘If it was the purchasing power that attracted us at first, I think it’s the sharing that made us stay. And I love the congresses, conferences, and training: it’s close to my heart!’ says the former high school teacher, who has contributed to the growth of Nursery of the Park since 2015.
Whether it’s to acquire new skills or nourish his approach as a manager, Robin Lapointe recalls several learning opportunities that were important. He cites, in particular, a workshop by Chloé Maheux (on the book Scaling-Up, by Verne Harnish), a conference by Marc Dutil, and the discovery of René Jean’s journey (Réflex Paysage).
« Many activities have marked me and still inspire me today. It’s also very interesting to hear members talk about their company and discover their working methods,’ he adds, highlighting the benefits of the benchmarking exercises he has participated in. ‘I like the community aspect of the coop… It’s a big business family, where important connections are made between people. It’s not a competitive relationship: we can count on each other. »
The co-owner recalls, for example, the support of Groupex during the pandemic, in a context of high demand and serious stock shortages. ‘I had the impression that we, the members, were a priority for the suppliers, and that was major. The coop has significant weight, its growth is done intelligently, and I am confident about its future. We feel like we’re in a boat that’s going in the right direction!
