Between the continuation of the complete renewal of its ranges and its image and the new Saint-Pierre factory which is preparing to welcome it, Café Le Lion is moving literally and figuratively. The Reunion roaster will take up residence in the Pierrefonds business area from February.
It is from the South that we will hear Café Le Lion roar after the historic move of the company which begins this month! Company created in 1966, at 56 years old, Sicre achieves a 
old and long matured project : that of having larger premises, modern, adapted to today's industry and in full compliance with current regulatory standards. The rise in quality and spectacular diversification that have characterized Café Le Lion for two and a half years, first step of the brand renewal strategy, made this change essential. It’s in Saint-Pierre, on the ZAC Roland-Hoareau in Pierrefonds, that the adventure of Café Le Lion will therefore continue from next year. This new anchor will give another impetus to its innovation dynamic. Too small and 
malcommodes, the Port premises had become an obstacle to the development of the brand. La Sicre had a building built offering 1,500 m2 of surface area. Fabrication, storage, distribution, delivery : Café le Lion va, in its new walls, be able to progress on all levels. In Pierrefonds, the péi roaster will be in good company next to the Domaine du café grilled. “I also see in this new factory a sign that the teamwork we are doing to renovate the brand is bearing fruit.. In a particularly complicated context, between health problems, freight disruption, the increase in our production costs and inflation, we have stayed on course with all our modernization projects thanks to the commitment and desire to succeed of the entire team”, welcomes Gérard Gillet, director of Sicre.
The moving schedule
Delivery of the building of the new Café Le Lion factory is scheduled for December 5. Machine dismantling operations, for their move and reassembly on the new site, started on November 14. They last until the end of January. The restart of production in Saint-Pierre is scheduled for the first half of February. At the port, production stopped in the second half of November. Joy will mix with emotion when the veterans of Café Le Lion say goodbye to the premises that sheltered them for so many years. The Port factory was operating at full capacity for several weeks to build up stocks that would allow it to serve Café Le Lion customers during the shutdown of production., until the new factory is operational. Three months of stock are planned. The official inauguration of the new Café Le Lion factory will take place during the first half of 2023.
New horizons from Saint-Pierre
The move of Café Le Lion coincides with the brand's next advertising campaign on “new Café Le Lion hot drinks”.
A way to illustrate the new chapter in its history that the brand is preparing to open in Saint-Pierre. En substance, Café Le Lion wants to “become the favorite local coffee brand of Reunion Islanders”, but also lets you know 
that it is no longer just a coffee brand. Chocolates, teas and infusions are part of its scope.
As soon as the new factory is operational, Café Le Lion will go on the offensive again. On predosed, building on the success of the new Dolce Gusto compatible range launched in 2022. On roasted coffee beans to consolidate its first place in a growing segment.
On the ground, its historic stronghold, which is in decline among consumers : Café Le Lion will therefore adjust its offering to better meet current demand. Tradition ground coffees will become, courant 2023, a real range with the arrival of a third reference, a coffee with a “surprise flavor” which will join the classic vanilla coffee and the original geranium coffee launched this year. Café Le Lion will also focus its attention on soluble coffee, segment with potential where it is still not very present.
The challenges of Café Le Lion
“We had no choice but to build a new roasting plant, comments Gérard Gillet. The Lion belongs to the heritage of Reunion, we have a duty to perpetuate the brand in a rapidly evolving market. Our company is undergoing a change to align itself with the expectations of today’s Reunion Islanders.. We have started the rejuvenation and diversification of our product lines. We have made progress on all levels, with still good room for maneuver : as, in organization, in commerce, in purchasing, in production. We will continue this strategy in our new factory by implementing, from 2023, a quality approach and a more sustained policy around sustainable development, for which our old premises were less suitable. Many things will still change in the Café Le Lion offer in the next two years. We are going to increase our presence in out-of-home circuits and with SME customers thanks to the professional offer that we have been renovating for two years. We will develop the digital order channel. And I don’t forget the Le Lion coffee shop corners, the first of which opened within Maison GAC in Saint-Pierre! Several other Coffee Shop Le Lion will see the light of day next year. We can say it : Cafe The Lion, it moves! »
