Les Commis
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Sustainable food
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Short supply chain
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Fresh products
- Responsible consumption and production
Pitch
Presentation
With healthy recipes made from raw, local, and seasonal products, Les Commis has been a committed player in home delivery of recipe kits since its launch in 2018. The concept revolves around assembling and distributing recipe kits, with a focus on sourcing and product quality as well as recipe variety. With a vision centered on healthy, varied, and plant-based eating, Les Commis helps consumers make cooking an enjoyable and stress-free experience while incorporating more plant-based options into their meals. Currently, there are 24 recipes per week, half of which are vegetarian and sourced from organic farming. More than 20,000 meals are delivered each week across France. The products used in the recipes come primarily from direct French producers to ensure a short supply chain between the producer and the final consumer. Since 2023, revenue has exceeded €6 million, and the company aims to achieve profitability in terms of EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) for the 2023/2024 fiscal year. With a cautious management approach by the co-founders — who have financed the business exclusively through their own funds so far — the company is now conducting its first fundraising round with external investors through LITA.co. Les Commis is seeking €1 million in bonds from engaged citizen investors based on a proven concept and business model to acquire new customers.
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Team
2 co-founders, 19 employees
The co-founders, Cyril Francin and Clément Chanéac, met at Lov Group Invest before founding Les Commis in 2012. Both having a background in finance, Cyril oversees operations related to the recipe kits, while Clément handles digital development and production. With a team consisting of an operations department, a marketing/communications department, and a tech/data department, the upcoming growth of the business is expected to be managed by the current team’s capacity.
Challenges
The food sector presents environmental and social issues at various levels. Before production, the impact of imported products on French consumption is significant: 56% of beef consumed in France is imported from Anglo-Saxon countries, compared to 45% for chicken in 2019 (up from 25% in 2000). This phenomenon also affects plant crops: 28% of our vegetable consumption and 71% of our fruit consumption are imported. In terms of value distribution, it is unequal between customers, who are the primary beneficiaries (51%), and farmers, who capture 39% of the value created (according to INSEE data). After production, food waste at the consumption level is a crucial issue to address: 30 kg of food are discarded per person each year (according to the Ministry of Ecology). The time has come for the relocalization of consumed products and fair compensation for producers.
Solutions
Les Commis offers a solution to help families with their day-to-day eating habits, with healthy, simple and fun recipes, while limiting food waste. Home delivery of baskets with just the right amount of ingredients saves a considerable amount of time, without giving up on eating well and homemade food (97% of subscribers say their mental workload linked to food is reduced thanks to Les Commis). Weekly baskets include a choice of 2 to 8 recipes, for 2 or 4 people. There's also "La Gazette des Commis" for information on producers and nutrition, QR codes indicating the origin of each product, and detailed recipe cards with images and videos. These are selected for their nutritional and environmental approach: 100% seasonal raw products, 95% French (38% of purchases direct from the producer and 50% organic) and balanced (animal or vegetable protein, no red meat, no added sugar or refined cereals). 82.6% of subscribers say they eat healthier with Commis. The founders have chosen to prioritize quality over price with a premium range.
Economic model
The Commis model is based on a subscription system with a semi-committed offer that translates into automatic weekly deliveries on registration, with the option for consumers to plan future deliveries. To date, there are three offers: basic recipes (4.5-5€/cover) / signature recipes (+1€/cover) / premium recipes (+2€/cover). The average basket (incl. VAT) is €92.6. The customer acquisition strategy is based on three main channels: partnerships (21%), including Thermomix, which reinforce the brand with a low unit acquisition cost; word-of-mouth (28%) via sponsorship; and digital acquisition (35%). The strengthening of customer acquisition made possible by the Lita fund-raising will be achieved through a multiplication of partnerships (with chefs, nutritionists, etc.), a new model of customer-ambassadors, and investment in digital marketing.
Long term impact
The impact of Commis involves a healthy, sustainable solution:
- Facilitating healthy eating: baskets made up of 100% fresh produce, with vegetables at the heart of the recipes, and 90% of which are nutriscore A or B.
- Promoting sustainable eating: 100% fresh, seasonal and short-distance produce, 50% vegetarian recipes and 100% French meat.
- Supporting French producers: 95% of products come from French producers, offering them attractive outlets with above-market selling prices.