Le Havre‘s La Vie Claire: How a Bold Assortment & Community Focus Drove Record sales
Le Havre, France – A La Vie Claire health food store is challenging conventional wisdom and achieving remarkable success by bucking the brand’s typical model. Despite stocking a substantially wider range of products - 5,000 references across 350 square meters,compared to the average of 3,500 on a similar footprint – this franchise is not only thriving but has become the brand’s top performer for 2024.
The driving force behind this remarkable turnaround is franchisee Baptiste blondet. Having acquired two independent health food stores in 2022, building on a buisness he launched in Le Havre two years prior, Blondet recognized the power of a diverse product offering.Strategic inclusion of popular national brands like Emile Noël, Prosain, and Bonneterre has demonstrably boosted sales.
The results speak for themselves: the store’s annual turnover has soared to €2.5 million, representing a 20% increase. la Vie Claire as a whole benefits from this success, with the store maintaining a full range of core brand products. This performance earned the franchise the distinction of “best turnover in central outings” for the brand in 2024.
However,blondet’s success isn’t solely about product selection. He remains deeply committed to the core values of the La Vie Claire brand, especially its emphasis on fresh, in-store baking. The store bakes 200 loaves of bread daily, serving approximately 300 customers each day.
A key ingredient in the store’s formula is a vibrant program of community events.Every Saturday, Aude, a qualified naturopath and versatile team member, leads intimate thematic workshops – limited to 10 participants due to high demand and a growing waiting list. Once a month, Mathilde, a certified sports coach who also works as a sales associate, organizes a “run training” session departing directly from the store. These sessions combine running with accessible gym exercises, attracting a predominantly young and female clientele, with consistent attendance of at least fifteen participants.
These initiatives, amplified by active engagement on social media, are demonstrably attracting a younger demographic to the store – a trend Blondet has observed over recent months. The Le Havre La Vie Claire is proving that a willingness to innovate within a franchise model, coupled with a strong focus on community building, can yield exceptional results.
