Our history

It was one of the first chocolate factories in France. Louis Parès had it built in Arles-sur-Tech, in the Pyrénées Orientales.

The factory grows and the owners decide to modernize it by generating their own electricity with the installation of hydraulic systems.

Georges Poirrier visits the factory and it is love at first sight.

He decides to purchase the company to continue the family’s know-how.

A true visionary in his time, Georges Poirrier is convinced of the strategic importance of large-scale distribution in France and Europe. He therefore decides to develop lines for supermarkets’ own store brands.

Within 10 years the company becomes the leading French manufacturer of chocolate bars.

The CÉMOI brand becomes part of the group.

CÉMOI was founded in Grenoble in 1919 by Félix Cartier-Million, also founder of the renowned brand Lustucru, another genius visionary from the beginning of the century.

Georges and Jean-Claude Poirrier decide to rename the group; CÉMOI due to the notoriety of the brand in France.

In 1989, Jean-Claude succeeds his father and pursues his strategy of growth via acquisition.

With the takeover of the Bouquet d’Or chocolate factory in Villeneuve d’Ascq in 2003, the famous Petit Ourson Guimauve joined our group. The recipe has not changed since 1962 and it remains the Proustian moment for the French.

Its unique taste and texture give it iconic status in France and it has strong potential for the international markets.

In 2005 Patrick Poirrier become head of the group which already counts over 3,000 employees.

In 2007 the company, Jacquot based in Troyes, joins the group. Our know-how is further diversified with this acquisition as the company is composed of four chocolate factories specializing in moulded chocolate and confectionary-making.

Along with the factories a further 600 employees join our teams.

In 2008 we inaugurate our new chocolate factory in Perpignan. It replaces our historic site that had become too restrictive for our production needs.

With the environment in mind, we designed it in compliance with the new High Quality Environmental Standards.

This is when our group starts to grow in the United States, Eastern Europe and Asia. We also begin manufacturing chocolate powder and chocolate spread for the West African market.

Having moved production to our new chocolate factory in Torremila, just outside Perpignan, we transform the old factory in Perpignan into our head offices. It also houses our new R&D centre (Cocoa, Chocolate and Aroma laboratories).

By keeping the consumer and innovation at the heart of our business we are always one step ahead.

Our objective is to control the entire chocolate network, from the planter to the consumer.

Our involvement in the cocoa-producing countries means we are now able to guarantee 100% traceability of our cocoa bean supplies.

The program was launched in 2015 and 60,000 planters from more than a hundred cooperatifs in Ivory Coast are a part of this program but also numerous fermentation and drying centres in Sao Tomé, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.

To celebrate the centenary of its eponymous brand, CÉMOI invites its customers, consumers and employees to awaken the magic of the brand through an annual red thread around the centenary.

100 years is a turning point. A unique moment. So to celebrate, CÉMOI puts the extra in your ordinary.