Michel Cluizel facts for kids
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Trade name
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Michel Cluizel |
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| Société par actions simplifiée | |
| Industry | Confectionery |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Founder | Marc Cluizel |
| Headquarters | Mesnils-sur-Iton, France |
| Products | Cacao beans, chocolate, couverture chocolate |
| Revenue | €22.5 million ($25.1 million) (2016) |
| €494,600 ($551,824) (2016) | |
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Number of employees
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200 |
Michel Cluizel is a famous company that makes chocolate from scratch, starting with the cocoa beans. It was founded in 1948 by Marc Cluizel in the French town of Damville, located in Normandy.
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The Story of Michel Cluizel
The company began when Marc and Marcelle Cluizel, Michel's parents, started making chocolate in their family kitchen. They already had a pastry business. In 1948, Michel Cluizel joined his parents' business as an apprentice.
The company sent its first products to the United States in 1981. This was their first time exporting chocolate. In 1987, they opened their very first shop in Paris, France.
In 1999, Cluizel started a special program called the Noble Ingredients program. This program promised to use only high-quality ingredients. It also meant they would not use artificial flavors, colors, soy lecithin, or GMO ingredients in their chocolates.
Today, the company has 200 employees. Michel Cluizel's four children are also part of the business. Michel Cluizel has a store on Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris. In August 2004, the company opened a branch in the United States. This branch included a chocolate factory and a museum in West Berlin, New Jersey.
The Cluizel family opened a chocolate museum in Damville in 2002. Ten years later, another museum opened near their U.S. factory.
How Chocolate is Made
Michel Cluizel is one of the few chocolatiers in the world who make chocolate directly from cocoa beans. Many other companies buy ready-made chocolate or cocoa paste. Cluizel even created a special word, cacaofèvier, to describe a chocolate maker who works from bean to bar. This helps them stand out from other chocolate makers.
The company carefully chooses its cocoa beans. This allows them to create "first plantation growths" chocolate bars. These bars are made using beans from a single, specific farm. It's similar to how coffee or wine is made from a particular terroir or region.
Michel Cluizel's children now manage the company. They produce their high-quality chocolates in two factories. One factory is in Damville, Normandy, where 200 people work. The other factory is in West Berlin, New Jersey, in the United States.
Michel Cluizel products are sold to regular customers, like chocolate bars and candies. They also sell to professionals, such as couverture chocolate for bakers. They even make white-label candies that other brands can sell under their own name.
Single-Origin Chocolates
Michel Cluizel makes special chocolate bars using cocoa beans from different countries and plantations. Here are some examples:
| Country | Plantation | Cacao percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Madagascar | Mangaro | 65% |
| Mexico | Mokaya | 66% |
| Saint Domingo | Los Anconès | 67% |
| São Tomé | Vila Gracinda | 67% |
| Brazil | Riachuelo | 70% |
| Guatemala | La Laguna | 70% |
Where to Find Michel Cluizel Chocolates
Michel Cluizel chocolates are sold in many stores. You can also buy them directly from the factory in Damville. The company also has five of its own stores called Petite Manufacture Cluizel. These stores used to be known as Les Chocolats Michel Cluizel.
There are four stores in Paris:
- 201, rue Saint-Honoré (opened in 1987)
- 43 Rue des Belles Feuilles
- Pl. Louis-Armand Galerie des Fresques
- 3, rue Tronchet
There is also one store in Neuilly-sur-Seine at 10, rue Madeleine-Michelis. In New York City, a store opened in 2009 on Madison Avenue and 35th Street.
Special Recognition
In 2012, Michel Cluizel products received the "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" label. This is a special French government certification. It is given to traditional businesses that combine old craftsmanship with modern ways of making things. It also means they keep their production in France.
See Also
External Links
