Beautiful to bite into, earth to mouth and skin

Belle à croquer is a Mauritian company founded by Valérie Buist 12 years ago. Belle à croquer stands out in a specialized niche by using food-grade hemp that was little or not known at the time. All products are based on this very precursory ingredient, which comes from a local producer. Armed with an unfailing will and human and social values, Valérie knew how to develop a unique niche and innovate in a little-known field.

The discovery of a passion

Belle à croquer became a business project following the development of a new passion. Valérie discovered her passion for plants during a stay in Western Canada, as she sought to rediscover herself. She worked at the time at Lake Louise as a landscaper in greenhouses when she discovered the world of botany! After four years in Alberta, Valérie returned to Quebec and enrolled at the Agrifood Technology Institute in Saint-Hyacinthe in environment and horticultural production. “I had to choose between fruit & vegetables or flowers. I took the best of both worlds, edible flowers” ​​explains Valérie who continues her journey by mentioning that “edible flowers were an unusual subject at the time and no student had yet taken this tangent. My choice has created a craze with the school team. Valérie discovers all the loss related to edible flowers "from the flower to the mouth". In order to enhance the latter, the budding entrepreneur is looking for an alternative to use these flowers. His soap maker grandfather allowed him to start transforming them into soaps. Belle à croquer was born in 2006, during her studies.

Motherentrepreneur and family life balance

Valérie has always believed in her project and made every effort to achieve her goals. She managed to raise the initial capital by winning scholarships ($10,000) during her three years in Saint-Hyacinthe. His dedication, his sense of a job well done and his passion allowed him to put together a business plan, then to do the appropriate research for the development of his business project. She obtained a $25,000 grant from the government for a “company producing a product specializing in rurality” adds Valérie. The businesswoman gets her hands dirty, with the help of her family and friends, and renovates a building to transform it into a soap factory, develops a corporate image and a website. Even with an atypical model and a niche less known for the time, she was able to develop her project and manage to reconcile family life and business wonderfully. Now, her spouse Sébastien Vincelette works full time with her.

Of course, the first five years were full of challenges with the birth of two children, a spouse who works away during the week and a flourishing business. Her husband finally found a job in Mauricie, which allowed Valérie to breathe a little at home and be able to focus more on the business. Then, when the time came to find a right arm, her spouse took the leap and after a period of adaptation, the two entrepreneurs and accomplices in private life can now reap what they have sown.

Land, storefront and rurality

Now Belle à croquer does more than just soap. The company manufactures and markets around 500 body care products, in addition to around 50 agri-food products. We find on its land an open flower field from May to the end of October. It is then essential to plan the production well in order to maintain the inventory of their raw material during the winter season.

Belle à croquer has a parent store in Mauricie to promote its products, in addition to the online store and more than 160 points of sale in four provinces. The team continues to do craft shows and other markets. Despite the reluctance expressed at the beginning by those around her about her business project, Valérie is still satisfied with her choice to settle in rural areas, in the village of Saint-Thècle, in a row that ends in a cul-de-sac. Over time, a great synergy has been created with other entrepreneurs in the area and a wave of interest has developed for this environment. Among other things, there is a bakery and a vineyard nearby. Entrepreneurs have joined forces to encourage visitors to come to their homes, notably with the creation of the Parcours du terroir de Saint-Thècle . A beautiful movement of solidarity is felt there when one presents oneself there. Then, with an agri-food product that stands out, a cheese with edible flowers offered only in flower season, more and more people are coming to the store and the number of employees is increasing to meet the growing demand. An expansion is necessary in order to maintain the current positioning and respond well to the clientele.

Development and zero waste

Investments of over $400,000 have been made in the company recently to enable it to keep up with continued growth. "The business is seven times bigger with the addition of a kitchen to MAPAQ standards and an apothecary counter," explains Valérie when asked about the expansion. We take the time to talk about this unique experience that Belle à croquer offers its visitors-customers with the apothecary counter. It is a tailor-made concept that promotes zero waste with a “bar” experience where the customer uses a menu to see all the products listed. With a container coming from the house or not, the customer chooses his smell (hydrosols and essential oils with an olfactory bar) and the composition of his product with the "master brewer" trained by the company. A one-of-a-kind experience. Customers who bring their own container automatically receive a $2.00 discount on their bill.

During a future visit to Mauricie, a visit to the boutique is a must to live a unique and enriching experience that will intoxicate your senses! A place to discover in the beautiful village of Saint-Thècle!

For more information about the company, see its member profile .

Reviewed by Marie-Pascale