Being a franchisor it is above all a duty

Meeting with Romain Boucaud master, Director commercial & marketing of the chocolates neighbour, in June 2010 chocolates neighbour is undoubtedly the largest artisanal chocolate factory of France.

Insufficiently conclusive experiences

Little obvious to integrate the franchise in your development when your company has a culture succursaliste 113 years! With 26 shops in France, the House chocolates neighbour conceded its brand to two points of sale, Bergerac and Nice. It was ten years ago. "It was a test to learn how to work remotely, without special status to define, collect royalties." Only constraints for our partners: sell our products exclusively with the interior design of the chocolate neighbor stores. "These experiments are not sufficiently conclusive to encourage us to build a franchise development," says Romain Boucaud-master.

Interested investors

This sign, known in the world of chocolate and positioned on the semi-luxe, yet has much of the elements necessary for development free. A brand - although the notoriety before any regional-, both secular and modern know-how already codified in a manual, and a master of the production and distribution. But no structure dedicated to the franchise, DIP or active recruitment. "We sometimes meet entrepreneurs interested in our sign, but there is always a reason preventing us to entrust our brand to another: absence of feeling with the person, lack of capital for the initial investment, site n 1 sgcib." We are even contacted by foreign investors for settlements in the United States, the Mexico, Belarus, or China. "We prefer first grow in France, and at our pace," says Romain Boucaud-master.

2000 customers in white mark

And business: 13 million in sales in 2009, more than 2000 customers (big chocolate) buy chocolates neighbour in white mark (which represents half of the turnover of the undertaking), the loyal customers with 1 Lyon 4 who attends them 5 store renovated this yearThe weight of the legacy remains the main brake in a company which is still owned by the same family since its origin: "We need to know a happy experience with an independent contractor to develop the means in the franchise." It remains a small business. "This leap into the unknown we attracts as much as calls us for caution," said Romain Boucaud-master. The conditions for integration in the system are well defined: a contractor having already several shops - and not necessarily in the chocolate-, a local in location n 1 in a ville more 100 000 and EUR 150 000 for development work.

Interview of Roman Boucaud-master, commercial Director & marketing of the chocolates neighbour, in June 2009

Definition of your concept

Our company is not based on an innovative concept, but on the past. Our House has existed since 1897 and was created by my great-grandfather. We are recognized among the best chocolatiers of France. Our first legitimacy is to be manufacturer of 90 of our products, only made from raw materials of main origins: cocoa, tea, coffee, almonds, hazelnuts, cream, sour cherries, fruits Our second legitimacy is the respect for traditional recipes, with flavours and tastes of today. We take for example the time Cook to core products to develop all the aromas. Our coffee is roasted in twenty minutes, against two minutes in the industrial world. Praline remains "conché" for 3 days and 3 nights against two hours usually. Finally, last legitimacy: the capital of the company remains 100 owned by my family. Manage our distribution allows us not to develop over quality. We ensure, for example, customize the packaging of products with a genuine creativity.

Reasons for your success in Lyon

We have own 25 stores, all located in location number 1 Lyon, Grenoble and Marseille regions. With an average basket between 25 and 30 euros, our success is based on a very good quality-price ratio. Our products are made by a brigade of 70 chocolatiers, from the best schools and working for 25 shops, allowing us to lower the cost of returns of 30 from the retail quality chocolate. We are probably most "artisanal chocolate" in the country.

Why develop your franchise concept

Our quality-price ratio does not exist on the market for chocolate: is quality either is the price, but not both. And we have managed to impose on us in Lyon, in the capital of gastronomy. We are not seeking luxury, but the "semi-luxe", which is a term that suits us well. Neighbour chocolates are still an unknown brand outside our city, we want to capitalize on a mark, as was the case for other areas of champagne and perfume. The franchise we could rely on for real traders who know their city to develop our brand. Our desire would be to share the risks with such contractors, want to succeed with them. Our group is certainly 100 vendors each year and an operational manual is presented to each of our employees. But today, we do not at all the structure of a franchise and contractors should be aware of the requirements of our business, growing up to put value and creativity products sold. We remain a family business on a human scale, in which it works greatly the relational.

How you build your development

By concentric circles around Lyon. Not necessarily free, perhaps still in branches. We are not looking for unbridled growth, the risk of losing our quality. The first franchise store opening may be a question of opportunity, the encounter with a contractor we will want to share the success. Being a franchisor, it is above all a duty.