He doesn’t have a minute to himself. The ransom of success, one might say. A little over a year ago, Youenn Allano transformed a small idea into a real masterstroke. Tired of wasting paper to wrap his products, the crêpe maker from Langueux (Côtes d’Armor) had the very simple idea of designing a reusable insulated bag in the shape of a half-moon to transport crêpes and galettes. A project born during the delivery to the home of a rather old lady. “She had taken out a DIY fabric bag with a lining. It clicked”. The time to work with a friend on a cool design and send it to production, and that’s it.
Against all odds, the crepe maker specializing in take-out sales saw his idea become revolutionary in a region where the galette is king. Overwhelmed by demand, Youenn Allano had seen the 1,000 copies of his “sac’h” leave in a few days, carried by an unexpected hype. The man then ordered 4,000 additional copies delivered in the fall. “I have less than 800 left and we still sell them every day. In the queue, we see that people are proud to have their bag, they are loyal. This story is incredible,” says the crêpe maker, who launched a dedicated website to ship its demi-lune all over the world.
He has divided his paper consumption by three!
With his little revolution, Youenn Allano has also made a name for himself. He who was already producing 20,000 pancakes and pancakes a week before his publicity stunt saw customers flocking. He and his 11 employees now produce up to fifteen hours a day to release 25,000 to 30,000 units weekly! However, the crêperie in Youenn managed to reduce its paper consumption by three at the same time. “Before, we passed 1.5 tons per year. There, we have just finished our first roll of 500 kg. It has become a habit for customers. I’m glad we found an alternative to single packaging. That’s why we did it.”
The success is such that his business had to expand. Faced with a glaring lack of space, Youenn Allano bought an old garage located just opposite where he will soon set up his manufacturing site, his store but also a small on-site catering area that he missed so much. Beyond his personal success, the restaurateur now hopes to serve as an example and encourage other food professionals to follow suit. “When I see the amount of packaging that has gone through bakeries or fast food, I tell myself that we could have a real ecological impact”. With the soaring price of paper, thinking will perhaps accelerate.