It is an unexpected phenomenon to say the least: the French brand Le Creuset, almost a century old, has been enjoying a resurgence in popularity for some time thanks to… TikTok!
Its famous casseroles in the background fascinate teenagers, especially in the United States.
A boon for the manufacturer looking to rejuvenate its image.
Le Creuset casseroles are a symbol of traditional French cuisine… Cast iron casseroles, famous for their robustness and their multiple colors.
The brand celebrates its 95th anniversary this year.
But it is not out of fashion either.
Far from it even since Le Creuset casseroles are the new darling of teens on the TikTok social network!
An astonishing passion for products rather identified with "grandmother's cuisine".
First surprise, the company, installed in the Aisne since its foundation, but which exports internationally, intends to ride this wave 2.0.
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American passion
For weeks, Le Creuset has fascinated teenagers, especially in the United States.
First, there are those who have a casserole dish in their cupboard.
On TikTok, they have fun filming it close up as if it were a work of art.
And then there are those who dream of having one and rank the most beautiful Le Creuset models or even debate the colors.
Some have even dedicated their accounts to their passion like Ave.Abe, which has renamed itself "Le Creuset girl".
They all have one thing in common: a certain difficulty in pronouncing the name of the brand, a little too French for Anglo-Saxons.
@ ave.abe
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“We discovered it on social networks, like everyone else,” Dorinne Gbedey, marketing director of Le Creuset, told Europe 1.
"It was done in a really spontaneous way with teenage fans of the brand who love its fun side with all the colors that we create. But this craze goes beyond the simple aesthetic of casseroles." also a commitment to sustainable products, which we will be able to keep throughout our lives.
Quality cuisine is no longer the prerogative of grandmothers, "she assures." Everyone today wants to have fun by cooking, preparing tasty dishes and doing it with quality utensils. "
At 95, Le Creuset is trying to rejuvenate its image
If Le Creuset is a well-known brand in France, it is just as well known in the United States, which explains the fact that American teenagers are seizing it.
“The United States is really a separate market for us,” says Dorinne Gbedey.
"Le Creuset casseroles represent the French art of living, they are found in all kitchen stores. It is there that we bring out the most colors throughout the year. We are also very represented in films and series ", assures the marketing director of the brand.
In fact, Le Creuset works with influencers on social networks and stars, such as actress Jennifer Garner who stages herself in her kitchen with the famous casseroles.
The brand has always cultivated secrecy about its sales, but it concedes it: the 22 million videos viewed with the hashtag Le Creuset on TikTok have increased the purchase of casseroles.
Especially since the range is very wide today.
“We are reinventing ourselves on cast iron, which is our core range, to follow culinary trends. Recently, we released a sort of large wok in which we can sauté or braise food, for example to make curries. in the asian inspiration, we have a very practical casserole dish for cooking rice ", illustrates Dorinne Gbedey.
There remains one problem: the price.
Le Creuset casseroles cost 100, 200 or sometimes more than 300 euros.
Inaccessible for young people therefore and it is to reach them that the manufacturer offers small models for a few tens of euros.
"The idea is to rejuvenate the brand and adapt to new needs. Today, kitchens are small so people want more compact products," said the marketing director of the manufacturer.
It is the American teenagers who will be happy.