LicensingSource.net catches up with newcomers to the show floor to find out more on their plans and why they see the event as vital to their brands’ growth. Today: Chefclub.
Chefclub started in 2016 with a video on how to cook a croque monsieur, filmed in the founders’ kitchen. Since then, the brand has become something of a force in the food entertainment and content industry.
On social media, its videos are viewed 2.5 billion times a month by 100 million subscribers worldwide (half in the US and UK), and that base is increasing thanks to recent deals with Pluto TV (US, LatAm, Spain, UK and France) and Samsung TV France.
“We are now the leading cooking brand on digital platforms and are expanding our scope beyond social media into FAST and AVOD to increase our exposure and audience,” says Marie-Laure Marchand, svp global consumer products and business development at Chefclub. “It’s a good time to exhibit as our brand is well established and our catalogue of shows has diversified so much that it gives our licensees lots of inspirational content with tremendous business opportunities. Also our focus on kids – with an animated series and two short hybrid concepts in development – will open interesting new licensing opportunities.”
Marie-Laure is looking to expand the Chefclub Kids and Chefclub brands across the publishing, toys and games, food, homeware, live event and promotions categories, while she is also excited about markets outside of France where the brand has a strong base, including the UK.
Existing deals include a global partnership with Groupe SEB on the Chefclub by Tefal range. The collection of over 50 skus launched this spring across Europe and covers cookware, utensils and small domestic appliances.
Chefclub itself also develops its own line of cookery books and other products for kids. It has 25 self-published cookbooks that have sold over 700,000 copies, while its Chefclub Kids catalogue includes over 27 cookery sets, with step by step illustrated cookbooks, measuring cups, utensils, kid friendly knives and more. The products are currently available at retail in France, with over 250,000 of the kits having been sold so far.
When asked what makes Chefclub stand out as a brand, Marie-Laure responds: “We are a family cooking brand, we offer a unique experience by proposing creative recipes with ordinary and affordable ingredients that bring everyone together in the kitchen. We offer a fresh, new take on family cooking empowering children to get creative and be independent in the kitchen, while discovering healthy eating habits. This is a very strong brand proposition.”
When it comes to longer term aims for the brand, Marie-Laure is very clear: “We’d like to extend our scope in the UK, as well as North America. The US viewership has grown very quickly so I’ll be looking for a strong agent with experience in food and lifestyle brands. Ideally, I would like to get loyalty promotions running in the key European territories and develop our experiential events in Europe, the US and China.
“And last but not least, we will have launched our new animated series by then and my goal is to have a top master toy partner on board and all key categories covered internationally,” she concludes.
Chefclub can be found on stand A190 at BLE.
