Fabien Laurino: “We work with whole fruits, cooked in copper basins.” Midi Libre – Mélissa Alcoléa
La Maison Laurino emploie une dizaine de salariés essentiellement dédiés à la fabrication. Midi Libre
Aujourd'hui, l'entreprise produit 15 000 petits pots par jour. Midi Libre
Depuis Portiragnes, Fabien et Stéphane Laurino fabriquent des petits pots fruités que leur réclament les chefs du monde entier pour les petits-déjeuners de leurs établissements hôteliers haut de gamme. Ils s'apprêtent à déménager à Béziers.
This is the story of two brothers from Avignon who were lucky enough to have fate but who weren't really set out to develop a business around their grandmother's jam…
And yet, today, from their premises in Portiragnes where they are clearly cramped, they ship their little pots filled with “fruity preparations” to palaces and hotels around the world: Hong Kong, Macao, the Seychelles, New York, Paris…
In 9 years, Maison Laurino has won over the greatest chefs for the breakfasts in their hotel establishments. A bet that was not won in advance… “My brother, Stéphane, was a nuclear engineer at Areva”, explains Fabien Laurino. He, who graduated from a business school, works for SEM Montpellier Events.“One day, I was invited to a palace and I realized that they were offering me the same jam as at the Ibis centre in Montpellier”, Fabien Laurino continued. Why ? “Because artisans are not capable of putting in small individual pots” on a large scale and ensuring consistent quality…
“We don't know anyone, we have no training…”
An idea springs forth. “We have always made jam with our grandmother. My brother takes out our grandmother's recipe book, we equip ourselves with a copper basin installed in the garage.”And off we go. In the meantime, Stéphane Laurino, tired of his career as an engineer, decided to take advantage of a departure plan with advantageous conditions. “We don't know any hotels, any chefs, we don't know anyone, we have no training,” smiles the salesman. But in 2015, the “Mas des confitures” was created.
From 2015 to 2020, while keeping his salaried position, Fabien Laurino knocked on every door without ever giving up. Until… “Arnaud Donckele, three-star chef at Cheval Blanc in Saint-Tropez, received me. He asked us to bring the quality to the level of the price.” The chef advised them to reduce the proportion of sugar. “We're doing the season with them, it worked.” Behind, the doors open. “LVMH (Le Cheval Blanc) entrusts us with all its houses, Courchevel, Maldives, Saint-Barth…” The best of business cards.
“The difference, compared to industrialists, is that we work with whole fruits, cooked in copper basins with a capacity of 15 liters, we have short cooking times. And we personalize the pots with labels adapted to each palace, tailor-made recipes, like yuzu strawberry, purple raspberry”.
The two brothers are refining their offer, also offering a wooden support made by a cabinetmaker from Béziers. In 2018, they left their first premises in Nissan and settled in Portiragnes. That year, they managed to seduce the purchasing director of the Lutetia in Paris.
“From a weakness, we made a strength”
In 2019, they were inundated. Another blow: they were criticized for not making “jams” since their recipe favors 70% fruit for 30% sugar. No matter. “From a weakness, we made a strength.”Le Mas des confitures disappears. In January 2022, Maison Laurino is born.
Fabien Laurino joins the adventure full-time from 2020. The numbers take off. The small brand is carving out its place in the world of stars. “In 2020, we made €400,000 in turnover.” In 2024, it will be €2.4 million, including €1 million from exports. The duo thinks big, diversifies, and recently offers miniature fruit juices. “We are in 150 hotels worldwide, including 21 of the 31 French palaces, such as the Bristol, the Plaza Athénée, the Crillon, the George V.” Maison Laurino is also the supplier of first class flights for Emirates. An incredible trajectory that does not seem to be stopping anytime soon.
A facility in the Béziers Ouest area
Maison Laurino will move into a new 1,000 m2 building in mid-March (compared to 350 m2 currently) located in the Béziers Ouest area, next to the Lidl platform and Technilum, a stone's throw from Maureilhan. The purchase of the 3,000 m2 plot of land in Viaterra and the construction of the factory represents a total investment of some 2.5 million euros for Maison Laurino. But this tool should allow it to “offer working comfort to employees” and develop its business. “We are going to triple our storage capacity and increase our production capacity by 30%, explains Fabien Laurino. Today, we produce 15,000 pots per day, the objective is to be at 20,000 pots per day”. The team will also be able to expand: “We are going to recruit, going from 11 to 14 to 15 people within 12 months to structure the marketing and product development part.”
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