CAP Solutions Culinaires is a provider of tailor-made culinary solutions, including sauces, marinades, garnishes and compound butters. Sales Manager Caroline Catroux and Export Sales Manager Emilie Guerin discussed meeting the demands of international customers from both industrial and food service sectors. Report by Antonia Cole.
Founded in 1976, CAP Solutions Culinaires has expanded significantly over the years, Sales Manager Caroline Catroux said: “In the beginning, our clients were primarily from the meat industry. Now, we work across almost all food sectors, from seafood to sweets. The company has evolved into a leader of culinary solutions with our specialised product offerings.”
Situated in Brittany, France, CAP Solutions
Culinaires has two certified industrial facilities (IFS & BRC). The company employs 200 people and acts as a key economic player in the region. The average seniority of its employees is 20 years, which demonstrates their well-being and commitment to the company.
“In 2015, we were acquired by Jean Floc’h, a leading agri-food group,” added Ms Catroux. “This has really driven our success and allowed us to expand our
capabilities. Having invested over €10 million into production area and industrial tools, the company has come a really long way, now generating an annual turnover of €48 million. 20 per cent of which is within the export market.”
Creating solutions
CAP Solutions Culinaires is founded on innovation, with every product specifically designed to meet customer demands.
“Sometimes, our customers will have something very precise in mind”, explained Ms Catroux. “At other times, they have a vaguer idea of what their future product should be. No matter what stage of development the project is in, we are able to collaborate with the client and create a high-quality result.”
The company creates tailor-made and ready-to-use products that fulfil requirements and might exceed expectations.
CAP SOLUTIONS CULINAIRES
From dips to pour-over sauces, fillings, seasonings, gravies, dressings, coulis and more, the company has a broad portfolio of options for clients to customise and develop. Customers contact the company, explain their project detailing requirements, then CAP Solutions Culinaires works to make the idea a reality.
“Our strength is really being able to understand the individual needs of our clients,” explained Export Sales Manager Emilie Guerin. “We have the experience to listen to demands and expertise with
tastes and consumption habits of foreign countries. Then, we know the techniques and processes to effectively meet them. Our equipment and facilities are modern and advanced, enabling us to satisfy even the most challenging requests.”
The company has a professional R&D team that innovates customer solutions. Comprised of nine people, three of whom are chefs, this team with technical knowledge and taste sensitivity is dedicated to designing premium products, having in mind factory capabilities. CAP Solutions Culinaires works with more than 600 ingredients that can be selected and combined to perfectly match the flavour and texture profile that the customer wants. The company is able to expertly source specific ingredients from all around the world as from Brittany and even raw materials with Protected Geographic Indication.
Sometimes, CAP Solutions Culinaires is contacted by a manufacturer who wants to launch a range of products bearing a famous chef’s name. In this case, the job is to adapt that chef’s recipe and to transpose it from high gastronomy into a convenience product.
“We regularly organise co-creation days or workshops with our customers,”
continued Ms Guerin. “This is a very efficient way of achieving a product that the client is really happy with. We also offer back and forth sampling to make sure that the final product is the best it can be. In every project, we are constantly communicating with our clients to understand their precise needs and adjust the recipes we are developing for them.”
Setting trends
The company also offers a wide range of possibilities in terms of packaging and presentation. Not only does CAP Solutions Culinaires have a variety of conventional and organic products, but it also has the capability to provide solutions for both chilled and frozen items. From liquid sauces in pouches or individual sachets to IQF portions or pellets, the company is equipped to meet almost any customer need.
CAP
“Within the food industry and catering sectors, trends are always evolving, and it is our job to help our clients stay ahead of consumer demands,” commented Ms Catroux. “As a company, we are really flexible and reactive, which enables our clients to drive their business matching the expectations of their markets.”
A growing demand over the years is for clean label recipes. More companies are requesting health-focused products taking into account ingredient list and nutritional values in order to drive sales. CAP Solutions Culinaires has been able to adapt existing recipes, and create completely new ones, that meet these demands, evolving its expertise. More recently, the market has shown a rising interest in Asian-inspired recipes and street food. This means that CAP Solutions Culinaires has had to further
research these specific flavours and gain more expertise in the market to successfully deliver products that meet consumer needs.
The last years showed a major consumption change with numerous creations of start-ups to respond to the demand of plant-based and vegan meals. There too, CAP Solutions Culinaires brought support and knowledge to new and old customers, to offer them the most suitable sauce.
As well as environmentally conscious products, there is also a growing requirement for sustainable operations. CAP Solutions Culinaires has implemented several environmental initiatives to meet this demand.
The company’s employees undergo training about preserving natural resources and there are measures in place to limit water and energy consumption. CAP Solutions Culinaires is also ISO 50001
certified and is dedicated to continuous improvement at its site. The company plans to install solar panels in its car park to further promote sustainability.
Partnership
From start-ups to international big players, CAP Solutions Culinaires is regarded as a reliable partner for manufacturers and foodservice actors wishing to create their very own signature recipes. “Some of our customers have been trusting us for over 30 years and continue to submit new projects to us”, said Ms Catroux.
The company also works closely with suppliers to source specific raw materials and ingredients to get the required taste and texture.
“Many of our suppliers have collaborated with us for over 20 years,” added Ms Catroux. “The company has built up
honest and longstanding relationships that foster innovation and allow us to thrive. We hope to meet with our customers and suppliers on our booth at SIAL Paris and welcome the opportunity to make new connections too.”
Moving forward, CAP Solutions Culinaires plans to increase its product and packaging portfolio, as well as expanding operational capacity. Through these investments, the company expects to drive activity and growth.
“At CAP Solutions Culinaires, we get to meet with different people and companies every day,” continued, Ms Guerin, in conclusion. “We are a worldwide company and that makes working here so exciting. This is a great company, with a fantastic team. I look forward to seeing what else we can achieve in the future.”
