LU (biscuits) facts for kids
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LU factory in Nantes, pictured in 2011
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Formerly
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Lefèvre-Utile Biscuit Co. |
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| Industry | Food |
| Fate | Acquired by Danone in 1986, then other owners |
| Founded | 1846 |
| Founder | Jean-Romain Lefèvre Pauline Lefèvre-Utile Louis Lefèvre-Utile |
| Headquarters |
Nantes
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Area served
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Worldwide |
| Products | Biscuit |
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LU, short for Lefèvre-Utile, is a famous French brand known for its delicious biscuits. It started in the city of Nantes, France. Today, LU is part of a big American company called Mondelēz International.
LU has been making biscuits for a very long time. Its most famous biscuit is the Petit-Beurre. Other popular LU biscuits include Prince de LU, Pim's, and Paille d'Or.
Contents
History
How LU Started
The company Lefèvre-Utile began in Nantes in 1846. It was started by Jean-Romain Lefèvre. At first, he sold biscuits from an English factory. Soon after, he started making his own biscuits.
The name "Lefèvre-Utile" comes from Jean-Romain Lefèvre and his wife, Pauline-Isabelle Utile. She was also his business partner.
The Famous LU Logo
The initials "LU" became famous because of art. In 1897, a famous artist named Alphonse Mucha used the initials for an advertisement. It was for the "Lefèvre-Utile Biscuit Co."
That same year, another artist, Firmin Bouisset, created a poster. It showed a "Petit Écolier" (Little Schoolboy) holding a biscuit. The boy's image had the "LU" initials on it. This picture became very popular. It was even pressed onto the company's Petit Beurre biscuits. Because of this success, the company soon became known simply as LU.
LU's Journey Through Companies
Jean-Romain Lefèvre's son, Louis Lefèvre-Utile, later took over the company. Over the years, LU was bought by different large companies.
- In 1986, Groupe Danone bought LU.
- In 2007, Kraft Foods Inc. bought LU from Danone.
- In 2012, Kraft Foods split into two companies. LU became part of Mondelēz International.
Even though LU is now an international brand, its products are mostly sold in Western Europe.
A Special Thank You
In June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, LU made a special edition of its Petit Beurre biscuits. These biscuits had "merci beaucoup" (thank you very much) written on them. This was a way to thank healthcare workers for their hard work.
Gallery
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Petit Beurre biscuit, 1886
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Advertisement for LU Champagne Biscuits, Alfons Mucha, 1896
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Advertisement for Biscuits Lefèvre-Utile, Alfons Mucha, 1897
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A display of various LU biscuits
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La Bretonne, painted by Hippolyte Berteaux upon request of Lefèvre-Utile
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A postcard showing a painted sign for LU biscuits in the background of this Paris street scene with a statue of inventor Claude Chappe, 1908
See also
In Spanish: Lefèvre-Utile para niños
- Château de Goulaine
- Prince de lu
