Cémoi: French Chocolate Heritage, from Bean to Bar, with a Strong Foothold in Africa

Perpignan, France / Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire – The Cémoi group, one of the largest French chocolate makers, is a family business that has combined tradition, innovation and an impressive mastery of its "bean-to-bar" supply chain. With a heritage going back to the nineteenth century, Cémoi stands out not only for its emblematic brands loved by French consumers, but also for its pioneering commitment to processing cocoa directly in Africa, notably in Côte d'Ivoire. In a booming global chocolate market facing sustainability challenges, Cémoi is charting a singular course, focused on quality, transparency and shared value creation.

A Family Heritage and Deep Roots

The story of Cémoi is that of the Poirrier family, who have led the company for several generations. Although the Cémoi name was adopted later, the company's roots go back to the founding of the Cantalou chocolate factory in Arles-sur-Tech (Pyrénées-Orientales) in 1814 by Jules Pares. The business grew over the decades, notably with the Cantalou-Catala family.

It was in 1962 that Georges Poirrier took over the chocolate factory and laid the foundations of the modern group. Under the impetus of the Poirrier family, notably Jean-Claude Poirrier and then his son Patrick Poirrier (the current Chairman), Cémoi experienced significant expansion through organic growth and strategic acquisitions.

Important acquisitions include:

• Chocolaterie de Tinchebray
• Jacquot (founded in 1920 in Troyes), a major name in seasonal chocolates (Easter, Christmas) and confectionery.
• Révillon Chocolatier (founded in 1898 in Lyon), famous for its papillotes and fine chocolates.
• DIPA (Dragées et Pralines des Alpes)

The group took the name Cémoi in the 1980s, asserting its identity as a leading French chocolate maker. The company remains proudly family-owned, which gives it a long-term vision and an attachment to its values.

Mastery of the "Bean-to-Bar" Chain

One of Cémoi's distinctive features is its commitment to an integrated "bean-to-bar" approach. This means the group controls a large part of its supply chain:

• Direct Sourcing: Cémoi sources cocoa beans directly from producer cooperatives in the countries of origin, notably in West Africa (Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana), Latin America (Ecuador) and the Caribbean.
• Primary Processing: The group owns its own primary cocoa bean processing plants, notably in Côte d'Ivoire, where it produces cocoa mass, cocoa butter and cocoa powder.
• Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing: These semi-finished products are then used in the group's many chocolate factories and confectionery plants in France and Europe to make a vast range of finished products.

Cémoi operates about fifteen production sites, a majority in France, but also in Côte d'Ivoire, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom.

A Portfolio of Well-Loved Brands and a Strong Private-Label Presence

The Cémoi group is known to the general public through its own brands, but it is also a major supplier for retailers' own-label products (private label) and for other manufacturers.

• Own Brands:
  • Cémoi: The umbrella brand, offering a wide range of chocolate bars (dark, milk, organic, with inclusions), chocolate powders and confectionery. The L'Ourson Guimauve (marshmallow teddy) is one of its most iconic products.
  • Jacquot: A specialist in seasonal chocolates (Easter bunnies and eggs, Father Christmases), chocolate sweets and confectionery.
  • Révillon Chocolatier: Positioned in the premium and festive segment, famous for its Christmas papillotes and assortments of fine chocolates.
  • Other brands such as Bouquet d'Or, Aiguebelle (historical heritage).
• Private Labels: Cémoi is an important partner of large retailers in France and Europe in manufacturing their chocolate ranges.
• Products for Professionals: The group also supplies couverture chocolate and cocoa-based ingredients to artisan chocolate makers, pastry chefs and the food industry.

A Pioneering Commitment in Côte d'Ivoire

Cémoi was one of the first international chocolate makers to invest heavily in processing cocoa directly in Côte d'Ivoire, the world's leading bean producer.

• Bean Processing Plant (Abidjan): As early as 1996, Cémoi set up a bean-grinding plant in Abidjan, which has become one of the most important in the country.
• First International Chocolate Factory (2015): In 2015, Cémoi reached a historic milestone by inaugurating a chocolate factory in Abidjan (Yopougon industrial zone). This plant is the first by an international chocolate maker to produce finished chocolate (bars, spread, chocolate powder) in Côte d'Ivoire, for the Ivorian and West African market. This initiative aims to:
  • Increase local value added.
  • Create skilled jobs.
  • Meet the growing demand of an African middle class.
  • Adapt products to local tastes and purchasing power (brands such as "CHOCO FUN", "Tarticao", "QuickCao").

This investment in Côte d'Ivoire is a central element of Cémoi's strategy and its sustainability programme.

"Transparence Cacao": The Commitment to a Sustainable Sector

Aware of the ethical and environmental issues in the cocoa sector, Cémoi launched its "Transparence Cacao" sustainable development programme in 2015. The programme rests on several pillars:

• Flavour Quality: Working on bean quality from the plantation onwards.
• Traceability: Ensuring full traceability of the beans from producer cooperatives to the factories.
• Improving Producers' Living Conditions: In collaboration with partner cooperatives, Cémoi is committed to improving planters' incomes, promoting education (fighting child labour), women's empowerment and access to basic services.
• Preserving the Environment: Fighting deforestation, promoting agroforestry and environmentally friendly farming practices.

The "Transparence Cacao" programme covers a significant share of the group's supplies and is a key argument in its CSR communication.

Scale, Recent Performance and Strategy

Cémoi is a private company and does not publish its financial results in as much detail as listed companies. However, its revenue is estimated at several hundred million euros (historically around €750 million to €1 billion, but this may fluctuate). The company employs several thousand people.

Cémoi's strategy revolves around:

• Mastery of the "bean-to-bar" chain.
• Developing its own brands while being a key partner for private labels.
• Product innovation (new recipes, formats, adaptation to consumption trends such as organic).
• Strengthening its sustainability commitment via "Transparence Cacao".
• Consolidating its presence in Côte d'Ivoire and developing the African market.
• Managing current challenges, notably the historic surge in cocoa prices in 2024-2025, which puts enormous pressure on raw material costs for all chocolate makers. This requires price adjustments, cost optimisation and transparent communication with customers and consumers.

A Committed Player for Quality, Responsible French Chocolate

Cémoi stands out for its status as a large French family chocolate maker, its integrated approach to production and its significant investment in cocoa's countries of origin, particularly Côte d'Ivoire. By seeking to combine traditional know-how, industrial innovation and social responsibility, Cémoi strives to offer quality chocolate products while contributing to a more sustainable and equitable cocoa sector. Its unique model, with a strong presence at the source, gives it a particular position to navigate the complexities of the global chocolate market.