Saint-Basile, June 15, 2023 - On the evening of June 14, at La Dinette du Cap restaurant in Deschambault-Grondines, the new corporate image of the company formerly known as LpB - La p'tite Brûlerie - was unveiled.
Business thinking in the broadest sense
In 2011, Mélanie Gagné opened her artisanal coffee roastery in the heart of Deschambault village. For more than 10 years, the business had two distinct and complementary vocations: roasting, marketing and distributing specialty coffees, and serving as a meeting place where locals and visitors alike were welcome to drop in. Over the years, the company has become a fixture among 3rd wave roasters in the region.
In winter 2021, the company began a process of transformation. After relocating roasting operations to Saint-Basile, the brand's owner and founder sold the catering business to devote herself solely to roasting organic and fair-trade specialty coffees. “For many people, the pandemic and the confinement have been conducive to reflection and introspection. Running a café is very demanding. I wanted to have more time for myself, but also to market my coffee properly. I can now offer a more sophisticated service to my customers and make my coffees available throughout the province,” explains Mélanie Gagné.
The need for a new brand
“The name had become obsolete by default,” adds Mélanie Gagné. Indeed, both the logo and the name itself were rooted in the site's vocation. “I realized that our brand image didn't reflect our approach or the quality and hard work we put into our cafés. So Mélanie, along with her team, began a process of reflection, surrounded by a marketing strategy firm and a professional graphic designer. “I also wanted my customers, who have been with me since the beginning, to be happy with the change. But we took our time and talked a lot about our values, which are so important. We took it one step at a time, and we're all really excited about the result!”
From La p'tite Brûlerie to Bivouac
Mélanie was looking for a name that would be short, original and meaningful in both English and French, because of her partnerships with Cooperative Coffees (the roasting cooperative with which she has imported her green coffee beans since the beginning). She also wanted a name that was rooted in her relationship with nature and evoked simplicity. “In the coffee world, there's a tendency to complexify the process and the world of coffee, whereas for me, it's important to keep things simple and accessible. Quality shouldn't be synonymous with complication”. The word “bivouac” thus emerged at the end of a lengthy process of reflection, in which the aspects of simplicity, spontaneity and integration with nature all came together around this name, which also encourages encounters and quickly won consensus within the team. A bivouac is a temporary camp, usually set up in the open air.
Innovation through the creation of taste profiles
In addition to the name, the entire image has been redesigned, and even further still, all the labels and classification of the coffees. With the evolution of 3rd wave coffees, all kinds of information appeared on coffee bags. “We wanted to think about a system that would be easier for consumers to understand. We questioned our customers, our retailers and established our own way of doing things.” The result is a hierarchy of information where taste notes are highlighted, and then a classification of coffees by taste profile: fruity, chocolatey, floral or woody. So, if a customer likes one coffee, he'll be guided in his discovery of other coffees by first exploring the other varieties offered in his favorite palette.
Anchored values
All these changes are part and parcel of a company whose business model is evolving, but which is still rooted in its vision and values. “Our values and mission remain the same: we roast specialty coffees, all organic. Our sourcing is responsible, and we aim to benefit people and the environment. That's the way it's always been and always will be. Except that now, these values are conveyed through a range of coffees sold online or through a network of retailers located mainly in the Portneuf and Quebec City regions. In addition to better embodying these values and the personality of Mélanie and her team, the new image, with its vibrant colors, makes it possible to have fun and roll out a new range of derivative products that express the spirit of the bivouac and the colors of the brand through mugs, bags and clothing.
“We're excited to welcome this new stage in our history with you, dear coffee lovers. May our coffees accompany you wherever you go!” - Mélanie and the whole team
