Take Your Taste Buds for a Whirl with Les Savoureux

Remember the razor ad, «I was so impressed I bought the company»? That’s exactly what happened to Martine Charbonneau, president of Les Savoureux, a company which offers organic, sugar-free, made-in-Quebec spice blends. She was a fervent consumer of the company’s products, and one day learned that the company was closing. Without a moment’s hesitation, she called the owner and submitted a purchase proposal. And so, on March 13, 2020, she, and her husband Ghyslain Larose became owners of Les Savoureux.

They got off to a rocky start due to the pandemic. As a solution, they decided to use the power of social media, thus launching prepaid pre-orders to build up a small reserve fund. To their great surprise, their virtual community embraced the project.

The newspaper La Presse even wrote an article about them, which helped drive the company forward. They also appeared on the TV show Dans l’œil du dragon (Dragon’s Den), which gave them a great experience and fantastic visibility.

From small spice company to spice supplier for Canada and the United States

Since they were having trouble finding a good spice supplier, they took matters into their own hands. . . they became suppliers with Savcorp, Les Savoureux’s sister division. They sell wholesale and supply, among others, HRIs (hotels, restaurants and institutional establishments). Furthermore, along with Savcorp, the company produced house brands for major players.

Starting out with fewer than 10 spice blends, Les Savoureux now boasts roughly 20 blends, plus hot sauces and nutty granola.

CAE Rive-Nord, more than just financing

They applied for financial assistance at CAE, as they knew that after being featured on Dragon’s Den, they would need to increase their inventory promptly.

«The application process was quick and easy. The staff was very helpful, supporting us in our application for working capital. To this day, they provide excellent support and offer us various training courses to help us succeed,» says co-owner Ghyslain Larose.

Entrepreneurship: not always plain sailing

Today, they’re happy with how far they’ve come, despite the roller-coaster ride of emotions they’ve experienced since the beginning. They love their lives as entrepreneurs, the pride of building something that will last over time. Martine still loves her spices and is proud to help families concoct simple recipes through videos on their website. She is the one who is at the heart of the spice blend recipes.

You can find this dynamic duo at a trade show near you, because they love public contact, or on their website for online orders and other information.