The comparison between Thiriet and Picard is not just a matter of taste. Behind two well-established frozen food brands in France, the production models, pricing policies, and distribution networks differ on points that directly impact the weekly grocery bill.
Meal vouchers and frozen foods: a pricing factor that few comparisons include
Law No. 2025-56 of January 21, 2025, allows the use of meal vouchers for all food products excluding alcohol until December 31, 2026. In practical terms, both Picard and Thiriet now accept meal vouchers on almost their entire catalog.
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This lever changes the budgetary balance. An employee with meal vouchers can cover a significant portion of their frozen food purchases through this payment method, which reduces the perceived gap between the two brands and supermarkets.
At Picard, weekly promotions show discounts of up to -30% on rotating selections, which can be combined with the loyalty program “Picard & Nous.” Thiriet, on the other hand, offers regular deals on its house ranges, but without a loyalty program as structured. Before choosing between Thiriet or Picard, it’s worth calculating the actual savings by combining meal vouchers and promotions on your main purchasing categories.
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Thiriet’s integrated production vs. Picard’s sourcing: what it changes on your plate
Thiriet manufactures part of its products in its own workshops (l’Atelier Toqué and la Fabrique Givrée). This vertical integration mainly concerns ice creams, certain prepared dishes, and desserts. The brand controls the recipe, production, and freezing for these items.
Picard operates on a different model: the brand does not produce itself but selects suppliers according to a proprietary specification. This distributor-designer positioning allows it to offer a significantly wider range, with items that change with the seasons and culinary trends.
In practice, the difference is mainly felt in three categories:
- Ice creams and frozen desserts, where Thiriet benefits from recognized artisanal expertise and a texture consistency that is hard to match in large retail.
- Internationally inspired prepared dishes, where Picard refreshes its offerings more frequently thanks to its network of specialized suppliers.
- Raw vegetables and fruits, a category where both brands are generally equal, with quality depending more on origin and freezing method (IQF) than on the brand.
Territorial network and delivery: daily accessibility
Picard operates over 1,150 stores in France and maintains a pace of about forty openings per year, particularly targeting suburban areas and medium-sized cities. Thiriet has a smaller network, compensated by a service of home delivery historically embedded in its business model.
This difference in coverage weighs heavily for regular purchases. If you live in a medium-sized urban area, the likelihood of finding a Picard within ten minutes is high. Thiriet covers fewer areas with physical stores but delivers to sectors where no specialized point of sale exists.
We observe that the choice between the two brands often hinges on this logistical criterion even before the question of taste arises. A consumer who orders online with delivery will find a well-established experience at Thiriet. Those who prefer in-store shopping, click & collect, or impulse buying will find it easier with the Picard network.
Thiriet or Picard frozen foods: deciding based on your shopping profile
The right choice depends on your shopping frequency and priority categories. Two distinct profiles stand out.
The first profile favors raw products (vegetables, fruits, plain fish) and everyday meals. In this area, the quality gaps between Thiriet and Picard remain small. The decisive criterion then becomes unit price, proximity to the point of sale, and current promotions. Picard, thanks to its volume and promotional rotations, generally offers an advantage in this segment.
The second profile seeks frozen desserts, pastries, or value-added prepared dishes for more elaborate meals. Thiriet stands out here with its in-house production and recipes that remain stable from year to year. The consistency of Thiriet’s recipes reassures loyal buyers.
- Weekly purchases of raw and basic products: advantage Picard (network, promotions, diversity).
- Occasional orders of high-end desserts and prepared dishes: advantage Thiriet (integrated production, ice cream expertise).
- Rural or suburban areas without a specialized store: Thiriet via home delivery, Picard via click & collect if a store exists nearby.
The extension of meal vouchers to frozen foods until the end of 2026 makes both brands more financially accessible. It remains to check, product by product, which one corresponds to your dining habits, as the best brand is the one whose range you actually use.