Cémoi facts for kids

Cémoi is a famous French company that makes delicious chocolate! It was started way back in 1814 by Jules Pares in a town called Arles-sur-Tech, France. Today, Cémoi is the biggest chocolate maker in France and one of the largest in the world.

The Cémoi group has 15 factories and 4 warehouses all around the globe.

History of Cémoi

The Beginning

In 1814, Jules Pares opened one of France's very first chocolate factories. This factory was in Arles-sur-Tech and eventually grew into what we know as Cémoi.

Growing Bigger

In 1962, a businessman named Georges Poirrier bought the company. He changed its name to Cantalou. During a time of fast economic growth in France, more people started buying things. The company began making lots of chocolate bars for supermarkets. To grow even more, Cantalou started buying other chocolate companies. These included Frankonia in 1977, Phoscao in 1979, and Aiguebelle in 1981. In 1981, they also bought a company actually named Cémoi. They liked that name so much, they decided to use it for the whole group!

New Factories and Ideas

In 2007, the Cémoi group created a new distribution center. They also bought a factory in Poland that specializes in roasting cocoa beans. In the same year, Cémoi took over another company called Jacquot.

In 2008, a brand new, bigger chocolate factory opened in Perpignan, France. This new factory replaced the older one, which had become too small. In 2010, after moving all the chocolate making to the new factory, the old Perpignan factory became the company's main office. It also got new labs for research and development, plus a shop and a museum!

Since 2012, the old Cémoi chocolate factory has been a special shop. It sells Cémoi products and offers tours of the group's former factory. You can also enjoy a detailed chocolate tasting there.

In 2015, Cémoi started the "Transparence Cacao Program." This program helps the company control the entire process of making chocolate. It goes all the way from the farmers who grow the cocoa beans to the chocolate bars you buy.

In 2017, the company bought an American company called Chris Candies. This company makes products for supermarkets and other big stores.

In July 2021, the Cémoi group was bought by a Belgian family company called Sweet Products. Together, the two companies now have about 5,000 employees. They aim to become a top company for making chocolates sold under store brands.

Factories and Warehouses

The Cémoi group has 15 factories around the world:

• 9 factories are in France
• 1 factory is in Germany
• 1 factory is in Wales
• 1 factory is in Poland
• 1 factory is in Ivory Coast

They also have 4 warehouses:

• 3 warehouses are in France
• 1 warehouse is in Spain

Where Cémoi Cocoa Comes From

Cémoi gets its cocoa from several countries:

• Ivory Coast
• Ecuador
• São Tomé and Príncipe
• Vanuatu