THURSDAY PRO // Sage Appliances has launched in France in full containment with the ambition of becoming essential on the market of coffee machines with grinder. Romain Malauvé, Managing Director France, provides an update on the Australian brand’s strategy.
The coffee market is booming in France. According to data from Gifam, coffee machines with grinders recorded growth of 45.8% in 2021 in France. Sales have been growing steadily since 2017: the value has multiplied by five in five years to reach 247 million euros in turnover in 2021. This has not escaped the notice of Sage Appliances, the Australian brand of small household appliances. premium from the Breville group.
Present in Europe since 2013 on the English and German markets in particular, the Oceanian specialist in culinary preparation has bet on the French market in 2020, in full confinement, with the watchword “to bring the quality of the pro to the house” and by betting on sustainability with products that minimize the use of plastics. “Our arrival on the French market is very thoughtful and coincides with the arrival of third generation coffee in French homes”adds Romain Maulavé, the France director.
An arrival on the French market in the midst of a pandemic
But the French have known Sage for about ten years without knowing it, since the brand had then signed a license agreement with Riviera & Bar which had allowed the Breville group to “test the market before formally arriving under its Sage brand”, explains Romain Maulavé. However, the official launch of the brand was not easy. Especially when “the strength of the brand is to explain the difference of our products in terms of taste”, he says. And recognize: “Since our launch (in 2020, editor’s note), I believe that we have not had a single month in normal operating conditions”.
Difficult to establish itself on the coffee market, which notably involves tasting, in the midst of a health crisis. “Being deprived of retail, we had to readapt and virtualize a certain number of our tools”, he says. Sage first attacked the market via roasters, rubbing shoulders with those who know coffee and organizing master class virtual to play barista. Today, they are 170 to be partners of the brand. And the sign can now tackle the traditional circuits of stores.
Turn consumers into coffee, tea or pizza aesthetes
While the French market is still very oriented towards capsule machines, like the Nespresso and other Senseo, Sage offers semi-automatic machines with grinders that allow users to rediscover the taste of the right product by playing barista. Its range starts at more than 500 € and exceeds 2500 € for the most high-end machines. Its main competitor being none other than Delonghi, the market leader. “Our weapons are above all the in-store experience”, considers Romain Maulavé. Not easy in times of a pandemic…
The idea is to surf on the wave of tasting coffee, coffee-pleasure which is starting to take root in France, and which should end up becoming the majority within 5 to 10 years. This is the bet made by the Australian brand. Romain Maulavé likes to compare coffee to wine and remember that there are also great wines in coffee beans.
If the first step is to establish itself as an alternative on the coffee market, Sage is also attacking those of tea, with a kettle-tea machine, pizza, via an oven which will again allow you to play apprentice pizza makers, or even pressure cookers by aiming for the Cookeo by Moulinex. Sage wants to turn consumers into coffee, tea or pizza aesthetes, who have the time to regain possession of their kitchen to make it a place of pure pleasure, by addressing first and foremost those who have the financial means to achieve their ends. A wise ambition.