Campaillette is a bakery network comprising 1,400 artisan bakers. Each year, the artisans in the Campaillette network sell 14 million Grand Siècle baguettes, the brand’s flagship product. The brand also regularly launches new products and innovates in its relationships with its artisan bakers: a new collective, a new visual identity, a new positioning… We take stock with Lina EL QUASRI, Product Manager for the Campaillette and Copaline Networks.
Everyone knows Campaillette bakeries and baguettes. But Campaillette is so much more than that…
Campaillette is a bakery concept and a line of specialty flours for artisan bakers created by Grands Moulins de Paris. But above all, Campaillette is neither a chain nor a franchise—it’s a collective! It’s a network of 1,400 independent artisan bakers. And we respect that independence. That is the very essence of the evolution we have undertaken—both to meet their needs and to sustain this collective… without losing sight of the expectations of consumers seeking pleasure and meaning in their purchases. The challenges of this evolution are therefore multifaceted.
What are the most obvious signs of this trend?
The most visible element is undoubtedly the visual identity. Itdrawsits inspiration from the heart of traditional French culture. In the collective imagination, the “small checkered” pattern chosen as a graphic symbol evokes moments of sharing, conviviality, and simple joys. It is visible both in the design of the bakeries and on the tools used by our Campaillette members (such as the bags). But there are also strong signals that directly concern our relationship with our artisan baker members.
So these signs are particularly noticeable among Campaillette’s member artisan bakers… Could you elaborate?
We offer them support tailored to their entrepreneurial choices, their personality, and their identity as artisans, while giving them the comfort and reassurance of belonging to a collective that also serves as a guarantee of quality and expertise, much like a certification mark. This is what the seal we have created represents and symbolizes, and it can be displayed on the bakery’s façade. The principle is clear: to be stronger together, while respecting the individuality of each artisan.
In practical terms, what will change for artisan bakers who are members?
The Campaillette bakery’s guidelines have been made more flexible to accommodate individual preferences: for example, choosing the color of the storefront or creating a custom logo accompanied by the phrase “Member of the Campaillette Collective.” Artisan bakers can also choose from various mottos such as “Always with a smile,” “Kneaded with love,” “Sharing the joy,” or “Together, united, and food-loving.” To further enrich the offering, we also encourage them to submit other slogans that highlight the brand’s values (responsibility, pleasure, trust).
In other words, are there different levels of visibility for the Campaillette brand?
Each owner can choose the level of brand visibility in their bakery, expressing their own identity while benefiting from the strength of the network and shared values. Some may decide to primarily use our branded materials (bags, doormats, sidewalk signs, etc.). Others may choose to design their entire bakery in the brand’s colors and benefit from Grands Moulins de Paris’s expertise in merchandising and store layout to enhance the customer experience: traffic flow, furniture, and bread displays to showcase their products with a clear presentation of the different types of bread offered… I would add that in the event of a shop renovation, the artisan baker also benefits from the advice of Grands Moulins de Paris experts: choosing suppliers, construction supervision, layout…
The sense of community is a key aspect of Campaillette. What activities do you offer to foster that sense of community?
News about the Campaillette Collective is posted on the Campaillette Facebook page. The website www.campaillette.com also provides all the information about Campaillette and helps you find the Campaillette bakery nearest to you. Our guiding principle is friendliness and “working together.” We organize an average of 6 or 7 promotional events per year, most of which have a fun element. For example, last Christmas, in addition to the in-store event for customers, we held a photo contest for the best Christmas decorations among our artisan bakers. The winners received cooking classes with top chefs for themselves and their teams. Other events place greater emphasis on solidarity, which is also one of our core values. In October 2021, we partnered with Restos du Cœur: for every baguette purchased, 10 cents were donated to the organization.
What is the next planned operation?
“Bread Week” featuring the Grand Siècle, Campaillette’s traditional French baguette, starting May 16. This date coincides with the Feast of Saint Honoré, the patron saint of bakers. To mark the occasion, artisan bakers will have the opportunity to teach their customers more about the characteristics of this baguette.
