What William Saurin does

William Saurin is a French prepared-meals manufacturer (plats cuisinés) headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cofigeo Group since 2018. Founded in 1898, the company is the recognized market leader in canned prepared meals in France, producing a portfolio of traditional French dishes including Cassoulet, Petit Salé aux Lentilles, Choucroute Garnie, Hachis Parmentier, Boeuf Bourguignon, and Blanquette de Veau. The product range spans eight organized lines: Les Classiques (canned classics), La Gamme 1898 (heritage premium range), Les Assiettes Mitonnées (individual microwavable plates), Mon Trio Gourmand (three-compartment bento plates launched 2025), Bon Pour Nous (Nutri-Score A/B pouch meals), Les Cocottes (casserole format), Les Pâtés (charcuterie), and La Rôtisserie (rotisserie-style dishes launched 2025).

The underlying production technology is appertization (high-temperature sterilization without preservatives) combined with a slow low-temperature cooking method called cuisine mitonnée, enabling extended shelf life while preserving vitamins and authentic taste. The company operates seven production facilities across France (Lagny-sur-Marne, Pouilly sur Serre, Château Thierry, Rodez, Campagne-lès-Hesdin, Capdenac, and the Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes site) and maintains a multi-generational cabbage supply partnership with seven farmers in Campagne-lès-Hesdin dating to 1985, producing 4,500 tonnes of cabbage annually. Workforce exceeds 1,000 employees, and the company sources meat under EU origin-controlled labeling and uses 100% recycled and infinitely recyclable metal packaging.

Revenue is generated through one-time retail sales of branded packaged food across French supermarket and grocery channels. Products are sold at standard retail pricing in multiple formats: cans, microwavable trays, Doypack flexible pouches, and cocotte containers. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer via physical retail storefronts, with supplementary digital presence through Facebook, Instagram, and the corporate website. Strategic brand collaborations with Paul Bocuse (1991) and Gault & Millau (2017) reinforce premium positioning, while Origin'Info ingredient transparency and Nutri-Score commitments support retailer procurement criteria and consumer trust. The company is privately held under Cofigeo Group and operates exclusively in the French domestic market.

Name

William Saurin

Legal name

William Saurin Production

Website

https://william-saurin.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

William Saurin is a French prepared-meals manufacturer founded in 1898 and the market leader in canned prepared meals in France. Operating as a subsidiary of Cofigeo Group, it sells traditional French ready-to-eat dishes through retail grocery channels nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Prepared Meals and Canned Foods

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Shelf-Stable Prepared Meals (Ready-to-Eat/Heat) (CRADADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shelf-Stable Ready-to-Eat Meals & Meal Kits (Packaged) (CRADAAAJ), Freshly Made Grab-and-Go (Sandwiches, Wraps, Salads) (CRAHAKAA), Shelf-Stable Pantry Staples (Grains, Pasta, Rice, Beans, Canned Foods) (CRADAAAA)

Keywords

• Prepared French meals
• Canned ready meals
• Traditional traiteur products
• Appertization food preservation
• Convenient ready-to-eat food

Headquarters

HQ city

Nanterre

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Prepared food and canned products sales: William Saurin generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of prepared meals and canned food products, including classic French dishes, specialty ranges (1898 heritage line, Rôtisserie, Mon Trio Gourmand, Bon Pour Nous), cocottes, and pâtés. Products are sold through retail grocery channels throughout France.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

William Saurin manufactures and sells ready-made traditional French meals (plats cuisinés) under multiple product lines including canned classics, heritage premium recipes, microwavable plates, three-compartment bento trays, flexible pouches, cocottes, pâtés, and rotisserie-style dishes. Products are preserved through appertization without artificial preservatives, carry Nutri-Score A or B ratings, and are sold through French retail grocery channels targeting everyday consumers seeking convenient traditional French cuisine.

Product overview

William Saurin is a French prepared food company (plats cuisinés) that has operated since 1898 as a traiteur (delicatessen). The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of ready-made French cuisine products organized across multiple product lines: Les Classiques (classic canned dishes), La Gamme 1898 (heritage premium range), Les assiettes mitonnées (individual microwavable plates), Mon Trio Gourmand (3-compartment bento-style plates), Bon Pour Nous (flexible pouch meals), Les cocottes (casserole-format dishes), Les pâtés (charcuterie selection), and La Rôtisserie (rotisserie-style dishes). Products are preserved through appertization (canning) without preservatives and carry Nutri-Score A or B ratings. The company sources French meat and operates with commitments to transparency through Origin'Info ingredient provenance labeling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La Rôtisserie: Rotisserie-style prepared meals including roasted chicken, pork, and sausages with potatoes and sauces.
• Mon Trio Gourmand
• Bon Pour Nous
• Gamme 1898
• Les Assiettes Mitonnées
• Les Cocottes
• Les Pâtés
• Les Classiques

Products and services

• Les Classiques

Quantifiable outcome

• Products maintain Nutri-Score A or B ratings
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Cofigeo GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018William Saurin joined the Cofigeo Group, another major specialist in canned foods, while maintaining its brand values of quality, taste, and environmental responsibility. Cofigeo's mission 'Du goût pour une consommation responsable' (Taste for responsible consumption) aligns with William Saurin's brand philosophy.
• Gault & MillauflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017William Saurin partnered with renowned French food critic/guide Gault & Millau to develop seven creative and modern recipes, combining traditional expertise with contemporary culinary trends.
• Paul BocuseflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991Celebrated Michelin-starred chef Paul Bocuse collaborated with William Saurin to design twelve new gastronomic vacuum-sealed recipes, including a Paul Bocuse-recommended Choucroute featured in Gault-Millau magazine. This collaboration elevated the brand's premium positioning.
• Seven cabbage farmers of Campagne-lès-HesdincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1985Since 1985, William Saurin has maintained a partnership with seven farmers in Campagne-lès-Hesdin for exclusive cabbage supply for choucroute production. The partnership involves annual planning, with 4,500 tonnes of cabbage harvested per year, supplying up to 20,000 cabbages daily during harvest. The relationship has spanned multiple generations of farmers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bonduelle: Large French prepared-vegetables and meals group; competing in canned and frozen prepared meals with much broader geographic footprint and B2B foodservice exposure.
• Knorr (Unilever): Unilever-owned global soups and meal-solutions brand with French prepared-meal offerings; comparable ready-meal positioning with far larger international scale.
• Liebig (Unilever): French/European prepared-soups and ready-meals brand under Unilever, competing directly in canned and pouch format French grocery aisles.
• Herta (Nestlé): Major Nestlé-owned French/European brand spanning charcuterie and prepared meals; competes in the same supermarket shelves with broader portfolio scale and stronger marketing budget.

Direct peers

• Marie (Lustucru/Pastacorp): French prepared-meals brand (plats cuisinés, sauces, accompaniments) sold through mass grocery with microwavable trays and pouches comparable to William Saurin's modern formats.
• Raynal et Roquelaure: Sister brand within Cofigeo Group producing canned French prepared meals (cassoulet, confit, lentils). Same parent, overlapping production capabilities, directly comparable shelf-stable product portfolio.
• Cassegrain: French canned vegetables and prepared-meals brand (now Bonduelle-owned) with directly overlapping canned prepared dishes sold through identical supermarket channels.
• Fleury Michon: French prepared-meals specialist (charcuterie, ready meals, surimi) sold through French retail grocery with comparable product categories (jambon, plats cuisinés) and similar Nutri-Score and clean-label positioning.

Emerging players

• Bénédicta: French prepared-sauces and meal-accompaniment brand sold through identical grocery channels; adjacent category with overlapping French-meal preparation occasions.
• Panzani: French pasta, sauces and prepared meals brand, formerly sister company under Panzalim; adjacent cuisine solutions with some product overlap in microwaveable trays.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WilliamSaurin
• Instagraminstagram.com/williamsaurin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/william-saurin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about William Saurin