Ethiquable inaugurated its chocolate factory in Fleurance this Thursday. The sign of the good health of this company of the social and solidarity economy, which is experiencing double-digit growth without giving up its convictions.
“It’s finally over!” The cry of the heart of Rémi Roux sums up the general feeling, at Ethiquable, this Thursday morning. The co-founder of the Scop gersoise participated with all the employees in the official inauguration of the production site, the only organic and fair trade site in France. The Fleurantine chocolate factory, after 4 years of reflection, files, plans and construction, is now in operation. She’s not about to stop.
Gone are the days when Ethiquable launched its 1st range, in 2003. From 350 t of tablets in 2012, the organic and fair trade company has grown to 2,400 t in 2021. “This places Ethiquable in first place in the market. organic chocolate sold in supermarkets, summarizes Stéphane Comar, another co-founder of the company. The rapid increase in sales also led to the revision of the chocolate factory’s estimate, which went from € 15 million to € 20 million. The success of the business should not falter. Growth in 2020 was + 21%. And the chocolate factory itself is scalable. “We can produce up to 6,000 tonnes of chocolate,” says Rémi Roux. “But that would require switching to 3x8s, and we don’t want that.” The plant has already created 15 jobs, and 15 more will follow by 2023. Ethiquable has a total of 160 employees, including nearly 110 in Fleurance.
Solidarity
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Ethiquable is not just an industrial adventure, it is also a humanist bet. “The factory is working on a semi-refined product, cocoa mass, details Christophe Eberhart, co-founder. This work must be carried out by small producers, to provide them with additional income. It is a new model, which ensures an added value of 15% to the cooperatives that work with us. “
Beyond the social and environmental virtues that the company defends, its establishment in the Gers was greeted by all elected officials – and they were numerous at the inauguration. “This is also the meaning of the relocation of consumption that we are leading,” said departmental councilor Bernard Gendre. “It corresponds to the history of Fleurance, which is closely linked to the economy, underlines the mayor, Ronny Guardia Mazzoleni. This cooperative spirit not only values producers in developing countries, but also those here, through ‘other products. And they are hiring. I fully subscribe to such a model. “
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