Founded 10 years ago in Gigean, Label’Frite, a company specializing in the production of vacuum-packed fresh fries, continues to develop.
They started as a couple, ten years ago, with the production of their first bag of 5 kg of vacuum-packed fresh fries. They are now a dozen to take out 13 tons daily. It is an understatement to say that Label’Frite, located in the La Clau business park in Gigean, has, today, the potato.
A project rejected by 12 banks
Yet the two creators, two childhood friends who “were riding a moped together in Mèze”almost threw their project with the peelings in the trash. “We suffered the refusal of twelve banks”remembers Gregory Aznar. “We were always told ‘why is it you and not someone else who had this idea?'” The thirteenth and last bank where Gregory had filed a file without really believing it immediately followed suit. Thus opening up a new career for the former tire dealer from Lunel and his friend Eric Faverdin, a former member of Midi Libre, both eager to move on.
A time saver for restaurants
“We created everything, we invented everything together. Including the production line”, slips Eric Faverdin. The two friends also carefully selected the quality of their potatoes, then, supported by Thau Initiatives, began canvassing restaurants in the Thau basin to offer them their product. “It’s a huge time saver for restaurateurs. It saves them the peeling, cleaning, slicing. All they have to do is open our vacuum bag of fresh fries and dip them in oil In addition, we can go up to eleven days of expiry date”.
500 customers in eight departments
Step by step, “considering the quality of our fries” according to Eric, and effective word-of-mouth, Label’Frite has filled its client list. They are now 500 between Hérault, Gard, Aude, Pyrénées-Orientales, Alpes-Maritimes, Rhône, Savoie, Haute-Garonne, and “we will soon be in a ninth department”slips Eric, to use the services of Label’Frite.
13 tons produced per day
In fact, the two partners have hired around ten people for production, marketing and deliveries. “All our fries are delivered by us before noon, on average twice a week in the establishments”comment Gregory and Eric. “That’s about 13 tonnes of production leaving every day”.
And now ?
Gregory and Eric are now a little cramped in their premises in Gigean. After expanding twice, the two bosses of Label’Frites had found a new location in their hometown of Mèze. But the Covid-19 has been there and put an end to this file. At the moment they are giving themselves time to find a warehouse large enough for their activity. “It may still be in Gigean or elsewhere in the Thau basin”they say.
Fields are reserved for them
To supply the production line, the secret of which they jealously guard in this very competitive world of French fries, the childhood friends have also increased their network of delivery of potatoes from the North of France. “We chose a potato quality and when its season is over, we take one that is very close”says Eric who specifies “we even had fields planted especially for us”. The raw material arrives in large bags of 1.2 tonnes up to 50 tonnes per week. “In summer, we reach 90 or even 100 tonnes per week. This represents approximately one truck every two days”. A rotation that can make you dizzy and cause potatoes to fall.
2023-05-13 12:31:45
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