60 years of Café le Lion

BETWEEN LEGACY AND AUDACITY

As paradoxical as it seems, celebrate 60 years of Café le Lion, it’s celebrating the rediscovered youth of an SME, Sicre, and an iconic Reunion brand ! And if this anniversary has symbolic value, it’s that it lights up all of Reunion Island with a happy day : Who, on the island, has never held a cup of Café le Lion in his hands ? This day is all the happier because the company, like the brand, has returned to the path of growth and influence after a very difficult period. Managing Director of Sicre since July 2023, Lucas Laravine is the pilot of this recovery. Before, as sales and marketing manager, he had been the architect of the transformation of Café le Lion, Reunion heritage brand born in 1966 which rested on its laurels.

This transformation, started in 2015 by CEO Christian Pelissier, accelerated from 2020 with the overhaul of the image followed by the extension of the range and diversification of products. Historical leader in ground coffee in Reunion, The Lion then positioned itself in the pre-dosed coffee and coffee bean segments.. Facing the majors in the sector, Petit Poucet from Reunion took up the challenge of modernity, attracting a new generation of consumers. Without denying his heritage, the Café le Lion brand thus embodied the audacity. The pitfall has arisen in 2023 : this was the move of the Port factory to Pierrefonds. Longer and more complex than expected, the operation revealed weaknesses aggravated by general inflation. From this ordeal was born a company that can be described as new and supported by a young collective, guarantee of sustainability for the future.

Lucas Laravine presents this sixty-year-old to us, which today continues its modernization strategy by reconciling heritage and audacity.

Meeting Leader : In July 2023, you took the reins of Sicre and its Café le Lion brand. L’company had just left its premises at the Port for the ZAC Roland-Hoareau in Pierrefonds. Can we take a look at the last three years? ?

Lucas Laravine : 2023 may have been the most difficult year the company has faced since its founding in 1966. The move brought its share of surprises : it took longer than expected. Lack of sufficient stocks, we found ourselves short of products to ensure the continuity of distribution to points of sale during the cessation of production. We had a lot of difficulty restarting the industrial tool. Ensuite, part of our team left us due to the additional commute to Pierrefonds. Our turnover attests to these difficulties, with a net result of -500,000 euros at the end of the year. To regain control, we had to reinvent ourselves : recruitment, formation, optimization of the industrial tool. Now that we have returned to growth, it is clear that this year 2023 was founding : it made it possible to bring together a rejuvenated team, to create true cohesion in the face of adversity, to accelerate our skills development, and lay solid foundations. The company is now more modern, more agile and forward-looking. She gained in performance, our stocks are much larger, we are done with day to day production. We emerge strengthened from this period.

L’company celebrates its 60th anniversary. What message are you sending to your distributors and consumers on this occasion? ?Few brands can be proud of having lasted so long. I am very proud to be an actor of this moment and to contribute, on my scale, to this longevity. Above all, it is an opportunity to thank all the consumers who have been loyal to us for years. We are lucky to have a transgenerational brand : its story began with grandparents, continued with children and grandchildren despite changing consumption patterns. A big thank you to our distributors : Café le Lion now does 85% of its business in supermarkets. Without their trust, we would not be the heritage brand that we are. Our message ? We are proud to be a landmark anchored in Reunion’s history and endowed with such sympathy.. We want to remain this well-known and recognized brand, which preserves its heritage while continuing to modernize.

Why did Café le Lion question itself? ?When Christian Pelissier took over the reins of Sicre in 2015, he noted that despite good results, the company was regularly losing market share. The first changes he made proved insufficient : the bleeding continued. Gérard Gillet as general management and myself as commercial director were recruited in 2020, to make a real turning point.

Product rejuvenation, diversification within the category : as business development manager, you have been there’architect of this reorientation. Can we recall the stages of the work accomplished? ?

We first spent over a year understanding the market in depth, to offer a more complete and coherent offer in order to regain volume and look to the future with peace of mind. We analyzed consumer expectations, carrier segments and their codes. We also looked at what was being done in mainland France and in markets comparable to ours.. This allowed us to anticipate our needs more precisely and re-examine our operating model.. We then launched products, redesigned our visual, our graphic charter and our brand. Alongside our classics, we have developed a wide range to meet younger consumption. Particularly with pre-dosed and roasted beans, whose growth was underestimated. Faced with inflation, we have also launched a low-cost range. We have thus built an offer that is both vertical, from mid-range to entry-level ; and horizontal, with a plurality of assortment. Finally, we have diversified our distribution channels : at that time, supermarkets represented 96% of our volumes ! We have developed specific offers for wholesalers and catering, which made it possible to rebalance our distribution.

Meeting Leader : Is this change complete or is it continuing? ?It is not completed because the market continues to evolve and we must support this evolution. We remain very attentive to the data. Our approach is tactical : each launch allows us to regain positions and gain market knowledge. I take the example of the Lion “coffee shop corners” : they helped us gain image and notoriety among young people, but their primary objective was to collect data. We have thus observed that young people have difficulty with pure coffee and that 8 out of 10 consumers start with pre-dosed coffee.. This information guides us to innovate such as the development of non-coffee and chocolate products., thé, matcha – or anticipation of demand for cold coffee, that we are thinking about.

Will all this translate into new things? ?

Several are in progress. This year, the pre-dosed launch of our hazelnut milk coffee and our crème brûlée coffee was a great success. Other recipes will be released, particularly to attract young people. We are also planning creations on ground – a more established market but one that we are seeking to stimulate.

Café le Lion has also taken the packaging of coffee packaging out of its routine. Keep this aesthetic guideline ?

Yes, because the market is segmented into four main families : grain, ground, pre-dosed, soluble. Each has its own purchasing codes, responding to different consumption expectations. It was therefore necessary to adapt our visual and consumer information for each type of product.. While forming a unit, the image of Café le Lion thus varies depending on the segment. We are continuing this approach. for example, we conducted a study with Run Market to better understand expectations in the Nespresso compatible segment. We anticipate a change to this product by 2027.

How did the Reunion public react to this in-depth evolution of the brand? ?

Taking a turn like ours involved a risk but we knew, thanks to data, that the time had come. The reaction was very positive. In 2021, the company had fallen to 17% market share by volume, that is to say below its usual 20%. The leader, she had dropped to third place. By the end of 2025, we rose to 19% and once again became first in the coffee market by volume in Reunion Island. This is proof that our choices were well received : the brand continues to progress in all segments, including ground where our range has gained ground.

Café le Lion suffered the full brunt of the’explosion in raw coffee prices. How did you get through this period? ? Does this constraint still weigh on the’activity ?

Crude prices have become very volatile. Before, they moved little and we could cover our needs over a year or a year and a half. Today, the market is constantly fluctuating. For a coffee brand, buying at the wrong time means taking the risk of losing your position in terms of final price. Our competitors, the major global players in coffee, always have the means to buy at the right time. To protect ourselves from this risk, we have become traders as much as manufacturers. in parallel, we have optimized our industrial processes to better control our costs and gain flexibility. From now on, if we need to adjust our revenues to benefit from a cheaper asset or compensate for a lack of Arabica or Robusta, we are capable of it. This agility allows us to better manage our supplies while maintaining quality. This is our strength against the competition.

In 2022, Sicre offered a local low-cost alternative with the Kafé Koulé range. Is the positioning always’news ?

More than ever ! Kafé Koulé represents a significant part of our 19% market share. Launched in 2021 to respond to the decline in purchasing power, this brand offered a local alternative in terms of price accessibility. For us, it was fundamental to offer a local product that met this expectation. Faced with the success of Kafé Koulé, we have broadened the scope : today, in addition to ground, it exists in pre-dosed and roasted beans. It allows each household to consume the coffee that suits them.

Has this delicate period influenced your way of managing ?

Yes, totally. These three years have been an exceptional school, rich in learning. It was a test for me, who was and remains a young director, but I don't regret these difficult times. If the entire Café le Lion team is particularly happy to celebrate 60 years, it’s because she was able to get through this complicated period and emerge strengthened.

How is Café le Lion doing in 2026? ?

Some of the staff who worked at the Port having chosen to leave us, the move led to a rejuvenation of the team : the average age is now around 28 and there are 20 of us, including apprentices. The progression is reflected in the turnover. Our last annual turnover reached 7,2 millions, and our volumes have increased. A nice turnaround ! Decisions made yesterday are bearing fruit. In 2026, we are more experienced, while being aware of our strengths and the road remaining to go. The whole team shares the desire to continue to adapt and grow with the market, so that Café le Lion remains a benchmark Reunion brand and a major player in the region.

Robusta has long been the favorite coffee of Reunion Islanders and one of the strengths of Café le Lion. What is its place today’hui in local coffee consumption ?

There are only two territories in the world where robusta is predominant : Vietnam, and Reunion. Here, 80% of our ground sales are robusta and although in decline, ground remains our main market in volume. However, consumer recruitment is mainly done on pre-dosed people, where arabica dominates. The new generation is therefore more accustomed to Arabica, which could in the future modify Reunionese tastes.

Celebrate a birthday, c’is also projecting into the future : what are now the challenges of’business ?

Our challenges : continue to innovate and develop our brands, strengthen our presence on the market, continue our investments to meet the challenges of tomorrow. A significant investment is planned this year in the processing of green grain to offer an even more qualitative finished product., especially roasted grain. But most important for us, it will be to invest in people. We have a young and motivated team. She still needs to improve her skills, grow at the same pace as the company. The desire to work and progress together, that characterizes us, must remain our asset. And I don’t forget the notion of pleasure… After so many difficult moments, our collective success must be experienced with pleasure !

Retreat of the ground, rise of roasted grain, maintaining capsules and pods : Are the trends of recent years still relevant?’news ?

The underlying trends remain the same : ground is in structural decline, roasted grain continues to grow very quickly, and the pod market remains stable. We were right by positioning ourselves early and solidly on roasted grain. However, there is a global fact : last year and for the first time since I analyzed it, the coffee market has declined in volume. It has lost 5% compared to 2024. This is due to inflation and pressure on purchasing power. The consumer must make choices, and the coffee suffers a little. Hence also the progression of low-cost brands and private labels.

Meeting Leader : Have you planned a special operation for the 60th anniversary of the’business ?

We will celebrate this anniversary mainly at points of sale, through operations in partnership with brands : Carrefour, E.Leclerc, U system, Run Market, Leader Price et Intermark. Everyone will have a birthday highlight, with appropriate dramatization. On this occasion, we want to reward our consumers and distributors, that is to say all those who have enabled the longevity of Café le Lion. These will be moments that we want friendly and simple, in line with our values ​​and the spirit of sharing associated with coffee.

And CHR, always show yourself’ambition to become the coffee at the end of the meal ?

We are studying this market closely, where we are already very present. As we did for mass distribution, we are currently analyzing the data. We already know that in this channel, the service turns out to be as important as the coffee product. Responsiveness and consistency in quality are key factors for success. We will review our internal processes in order to better meet the expectations of this professional CHR clientele.. This will indeed be an area of ​​development for us in the years to come..

What’is it about’“Le Lion” tea and chocolate offer ?

Our local ambition is to become a major player in the world of hot drinks, and not just coffee. Regarding hot chocolate, we have an industrialization project , but this project will take time to come to fruition. We are not ready yet. Same thing for tea.

Environmental and climate concerns are now on everyone's minds. What is Café le Lion’s response? ?

Ahead of the regulations which will come into force on 1^is January 2027, We have made the choice for two years to only supply ourselves with coffee from non-deforested plots.. Stop buying green coffee more expensively. This choice may have an impact on price, but we consider it necessary. We are also working to reduce our industrial impact. Our range of roasted beans is sold in kraft packets. We are planning a packaging for the ground product containing less plastic or aluminum and including vegetable matter. Logistics also mobilizes us to reduce our carbon impact, both on the local circuit and on the import circuit. In terms of circular economy, we recycle our jute bags and our coffee wraps with local actors. The overwrapping films are made from recycled plastic by Bourbon Packaging, local company to which we return our scraps so that they can be reintegrated into their plastic waste recycling. Our steering committee, which brings together the different departments of the company, pays attention to all these aspects.

The composition of the’Shareholders of Tereos Indian Ocean, your parent company, should evolve. How do you approach this situation ?

We are serene. Shareholder changes are part of company life. Before Tereos Indian Ocean, Sicre belonged to the French Quarter group. Café le Lion followed this change and it will be the same tomorrow.

Our shareholders have always supported us. We have confidence in them and remain focused on our development.

Lucas Laravine, a leader anchored in innovation

The succession of Gérard Gillet at the head of Café le Lion in July 2023 was a natural handover as Lucas Laravine had played a key role in the revolution of the brand's offering and image.. He had joined the company three years earlier as sales and marketing manager.. Originally from Brûlé (St Denis), the young manager belongs to the same generation as that of the consumers targeted by the historic brand. An affinity coupled with an enriching first experience. Graduate of the CCI Réunion and the ICD business school, passionate about data analysis, Lucas Laravine cut his teeth at Brasseries de Bourbon, where he participated in the launch of the Dodo Bourbon Métiss beer. He worked for 9 years at BdB, first to the Marketing department, then to trade marketing, and finally as key account manager. It is then that, noticed by Christian Pelissier, he was offered the challenge of reinventing the heritage brand Café le Lion. In a completely different area, Lucas Laravine is also one of the founders of the start-up Réunipro, at the origin of the label of the same name : a unique stamp in France, which guarantees the services of individual house construction companies.