All Carte Noire brand products are made in Lavérune.
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N. Bonzom / Maxele Presse
The Covid-19 crisis has affected many sectors of the French economy.
"20 Minutes" presents companies and craftsmen who, despite the confinement and the difficulties linked to the epidemic, have seen their activity grow, or even explode.
In Lavérune, the Carte Noire coffee factory is in full swing.
During the lockdown, the sales of the French brand even exploded, with an increase of 45% compared to last year.
In Lavérune (Hérault), the coronavirus crisis has not altered the sweet smell of coffee with which the locals are familiar.
The Carte Noire factory, one of the largest factories in the sector in France, has not been idle since the Covid-19 epidemic has raged.
Even in full confinement, last spring, the machines have been running at full speed: 100% of the planned production has been achieved, until today.
Each year, 27,000 tonnes of coffee leave the Lavérune plant, including 19,000 tonnes of ground coffee.
The rest are soft pods and capsules.
The factory even had to "increase production capacities a little bit," explains Philippe Maillard, director of the Lavérune factory, which employs 120 people.
We have sufficient capacity to respond to market increases.
"
Sales surged during containment
Numerous measures have been put in place on the site, so that the activity can continue and that the factory can supply all the points of sale, in particular regular cleaning, the shelter of the employees who presented the risks, the materialization of safety distances, the closure of canteens, showers or common changing rooms.
“We are an Italian company [the Lavazza group acquired Carte Noire in 2016], and ten days in advance, our colleagues in Italy quickly made us aware of the situation, and we were able to take action even before the French authorities do not ask us for them ”, continues the director.
At the Carte Noire coffee factory in Lavérune (Hérault) - N. Bonzom / Maxele Presse
At Carte Noire, sales jumped during containment.
“The confinement period generated strong transfers from consumption away from home (bars, cafes, offices, etc.) to consumption at home, the company told
20 Minutes
.
And the announcement of the confinement generated storage phenomena which greatly accelerated the sales of coffee in supermarkets at the start of the confinement.
“Thus, last March, the coffee market in general jumped 24% in volume in France, compared to 2019. And at Carte Noire, sales even exploded: + 45%.
A product that comforts
Since then, once the cupboards are full, coffee sales have returned to their levels of last year.
The crisis would also have led the French to turn to products made in France, including coffee from Lavérune, or organic.
And if coffee does not experience the crisis, it is first of all because it is "a product of pleasure," notes the director of the Carte Noire factory.
The French have habits with coffee.
In difficult times like those we are experiencing today, coffee is inevitably comforting.
"And star brands, such as Carte Noire," were highly acclaimed because the French mostly turned during the crisis to benchmark brands, which they know and love, "says the brand.
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