Losing weight without making sacrifices. That’s how Véronique Capon came up with her weight loss recipes. She was not convinced by any diets.
“I wanted something that was practical, healthy, and above all, that would allow me to continue to have a small glass of wine and eat a bit of chocolate from time to time,” she explains.
Using a calculator and all the nutritional information she could find, Véronique Capon started to create light, tasty, and nourishing dishes that led her to lose more than 15 pounds (7 kg) in just a few months. Through word-of-mouth, her friends started wanting to test her diet. In reaction to this unexpected success, Véronique’s son Arthur suggested that they create a Facebook page. Then, with orders made via the social network, they decided to found a company.
La Brigade de Véro was created in 2017. The company has grown rapidly since that time. “It all went very fast,” admits Arthur, 29 years old and president of the company.
“At first, we only delivered our home-fresh dishes in the Gard and Hérault departments. Today we prepare 17,000 per week and we deliver throughout France and Belgium.”
La Brigade de Véro developed a concept that people like. The company only uses high quality local products: 100% French meat, fish from sustainable fishing, fresh fruit and vegetables, using those ingredients to create menus for six days, with different options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Every dish is elaborated so that daily intake is limited to 1,200 calories – one of the traditional principles of diets – which leaves a little room that can be adapted for, and with, each customer. The most important rule of all: great taste! To be successful, the dishes must be delicious as well as light. That’s how Véronique created her “tartifLight” version of the heavy traditional French tartiflette, using dry cured ham and raclette cheese instead of bacon and reblochon cheese.
La Brigade de Véro created a diet that gives people a satiated feeling while making them happy. Her approach is gathering momentum. From 2018 to 2020, the company’s sales went from 650,000 € to 2.9 M€, and are expected to reach nearly 5 M€ for 2021. By mid-2022, staff size is expected to grow from 35 to 70 employees.
To handle this exceptional growth, the company decided to move from Alès to Montpellier, where they took up a 2,500 m² facility in the Millénaire business park, representing an investment of 1.8 M€. At that same time, they signed a partnership agreement with the
Montpellier Market of National Interest (MIN) for fresh high-quality supplies, and they reached out to
Montpellier BIC, which had already been providing assistance for the past several years.
Arthur Capon is extremely happy with the assistance his company has received: “Montpellier BIC helped us organize our strategy and our presentation.”
The advice paid off: following their participation in the
Montpellier Capital Risque event, La Brigade de Véro signed a round of capital investment for 2.3 M€ with business angels, which included some of the company’s customers.
The company bases its growth on a societal and eco-responsible approach that it implements in its operations. They only use recyclable packaging. To go even further on carbon reduction, they signed an agreement with
Zenride, a pioneer in business bicycles, so that employees can ride to work. La Brigade de Véro covers 80% of the lease costs.
The company is also equipped with an electric vehicle and works to promote the inclusion of handicapped people by supporting the
Au Moulin de l’Éveil association created by the parents of autistic children. Customers actually have the option to add 1€ to the cost of their order, an amount that is donated entirely to the association.
Lastly, their citizenship-oriented commitment involves promoting the local producers who supply food products, thus giving them an opportunity to work more.
“We are all here to help our society move in the right direction,” insists Arthur Chapon. La Brigade de Véro, agile and humble. The other great recipe for success.
