Poulaillon SA

What Poulaillon SA does

Poulaillon SA is a French family-founded bakery and quick-service restaurant group headquartered in Wittelsheim, Alsace, and listed on Euronext Growth Paris under the ticker ALPOU. Founded in 1973 by Paul Poulaillon, the company invented and commercializes the Moricette®, an elongated bretzel-dough sandwich filled with charcuterie that has become a regional institution in eastern France. The group operates an integrated production-to-commercialization model with 1,157 employees as of January 2026, generating FY2025 consolidated revenue of €119.049 million and €13.085 million of EBITDA, with a network of 65+ points of sale and wholly-owned manufacturing at Wittelsheim and Saint-Vit (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté).

The product portfolio centers on Moricette® variants, traditional breads and viennoiseries, pastries, celebration cakes including customizable Number Cakes, snacking items (sandwiches, salads, plated daily specials), and full-service catering through the Poulaillon Traiteur brand. Manufacturing relies on artisanal bakery production combined with proprietary ultra-rapid flash-freezing ("surgélation ultra-rapide") technology, which preserves gustatory and nutritional quality until consumption and supports both retail and B2B channels. The group also wholly owns Eaux Minérales de Velleminfroy, a natural mineral water source in Haute-Saône acquired as a diversification activity with an explicit €4 million break-even target within 2-3 years, and certified commitments to European Chicken Compliance by end-2026 and Pig Minimum Standards by 2030, plus cage-free eggs since 2021.

Poulaillon monetizes through four distinct channels: (1) direct-to-consumer retail across four formats — Moulins (large bakery-restaurants with drive-through), Ateliers (mid-size baking workshops), Kiosques (quick snacking), and Self-service; (2) franchise royalties at 5% of sales plus 0.3% communication fees and a €25,000 entry fee per location, with franchise investment ranging from €200,000 to €2 million; (3) B2B supply agreements with French hypermarket and supermarket chains under the "grande distribution" major-accounts program; and (4) e-commerce with temperature-controlled home delivery via Chronofresh across metropolitan France, complemented by catering services for corporate events, weddings, and receptions. Customer segmentation is horizontal, spanning individual consumers, franchise entrepreneurs, large retail accounts, and corporate event clients.

Name

Poulaillon SA

Legal name

Bretzels Moricettes MFP POULAILLON SA

Website

https://poulaillon.fr

Company type

Public

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Poulaillon SA is a French family-founded bakery and quick-service restaurant group operating 65+ points of sale across eastern France, producing its signature Moricette® sandwich alongside breads, pastries, catering, and mineral water for individual consumers, franchisees, and B2B retail customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Bakery and French Fast Food

NAICS

Retail Bakeries (311811), Commercial Bakeries (311812), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Caterers (72232)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic & Regional Bakeries (e.g., Middle Eastern, Asian, Latin) (THAFAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Patisseries & Viennoiserie (French-Style) (THAFAFAB), Brasseries, Bistros & Trattorias (THAFACAI), Pastry, Cakes & Desserts Wholesale (AFAIAFAB)

Keywords

• Artisanal bakery
• French fast food
• Bakery retail
• Mineral water bottling
• Bakery franchise

Headquarters

HQ city

Wittelsheim

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Store Operations: Revenue from operating 65+ company-owned and franchise points of sale including Moulins, Ateliers, Kiosques, and Self-service formats. Sales of bakery, pastry, snacking, and catering products directly to consumers.
2. Franchise Royalties: Ongoing royalties from franchisees: 5% royalty on sales plus 0.3% communication fee. Entry fee of 25K€ per franchise location. Franchise investment ranges from 200K€ to 2M€.
3. B2B / Grande Distribution: Sales to major accounts in large-scale retail distribution (hypermarkets, supermarkets). Products supplied to major French retail chains.
4. Bottled Water (Eau minérale de Velleminfroy): Sale of mineral water sourced from Velleminfroy, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Diversification activity with 100% ownership by the Poulaillon Group. Target of 4M€ break-even expected in 2-3 years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Poulaillon SA is a French artisanal bakery and fast-food group that manufactures and sells a range of bakery products, including its signature Moricette® elongated pretzel bread, traditional breads, pâtisserie, snacking items, and Number Cakes. It operates more than 65 retail locations across eastern France under multiple store formats (Moulins, Ateliers, Kiosques, self-service points), distributes branded products through large retailers, runs a franchise network, supplies mineral water from its Velleminfroy source, and offers corporate catering services.

Product overview

Poulaillon SA is a family-owned French bakery and fast-food restaurant group operating primarily in eastern France. The company operates a multi-format retail network including bakeries-restaurants (Moulins), cooking workshops (Ateliers), kiosks, and self-service (Sel) concepts. The product portfolio centers on the signature Moricette® (elongated pretzel bread created in 1973), along with traditional bakery items (breads, viennoiseries), pastries (tarts, cakes, éclairs), appetizers, snacks, and catering services. The group also diversified into natural mineral water (Eau de Velleminfroy) and offers factory tours. Products are distributed through approximately 65 company-owned and franchised points of sale, with e-commerce delivery via Chronofresh across metropolitan France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Moricette®: The signature elongated bretzel-dough sandwich product created by Paul Poulaillon in 1973, filled with charcuterie and considered the flagship product of the Poulaillon brand.
• Les Ateliers Gourmands Poulaillon
• Poulaillon Traiteur
• Eau minérale de Velleminfroy
• Poulaillon à la Ferme
• Les Moulins Poulaillon
• Les Ateliers de Cuisson Poulaillon
• Les Kiosques Poulaillon
• Les Selfs Poulaillon

Products and services

• Moricette®
• Bretzel (Pretzel)
• Number Cake
• Focaccia
• Eau minérale de Velleminfroy
• Panière mini Moricettes® Fraîcheur
• Service Traiteur (Catering)
• Visite des Ateliers Gourmands

Quantifiable outcome

• 119.049 M€ annual revenue with 13.085 M€ EBITDA (4.882 M€ operating result)

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Alsace AuthentiqueminorOthersRegional partner, logo displayed on partners page
• AgrivalorminorOthersAgricultural partner, logo displayed on partners page
• Alsace LaitminorOthersDairy partner for the Alsace region
• AltodisminorOthersFood service partner, logo displayed on partners page
• Barry CallebautminorOthersChocolate supplier for pastry products
• BigardminorOthersMeat/charcuterie supplier for Moricettes and other products
• CondifaminorOthersFood ingredients distributor
• EurialminorOthersDairy products supplier
• Forezia SnackingminorOthersSnacking industry partner
• Gastronome ProminorOthersProfessional gastronomy partner
• IREKSminorOthersBaking ingredients and solutions provider
• Limagrain CéréalesminorOthersCereal and grain supplier
• McCainminorOthersFrozen food partner
• Paysan BretonminorOthersDairy products (butter) supplier
• Pomona TerreAzurminorOthersFood distribution partner for professionals
• Sodiaal Food ExpertsminorOthersDairy products supplier
• SyscominorOthersFood service equipment and supplies partner
• TransgourmetminorOthersFood service distribution partner
• UnileverminorOthersFood and refreshment products partner
• L214 (Animal Welfare)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimal welfare association with whom Poulaillon collaborates on animal welfare commitments for eggs and meat products, including commitments to European Chicken Commitment and Pig Minimum Standards

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• La Mie Câline: French bakery-restaurant franchise (Groupe Alinea) operating Moulins-style bakery-restaurants with seating, snacking, and takeaway — directly comparable to Poulaillon's multi-format franchise strategy and consumer base.
• Délifrance: French bakery/patisserie supplier (Brake group) serving foodservice and retail with breads, viennoiseries, and pastries — directly comparable on B2B food-service bakery supply and overlapping product categories with Poulaillon.
• Boulangerie Louise: French bakery-restaurant chain offering breads, viennoiseries, sandwiches and menus; directly comparable to Poulaillon's Moulins and Ateliers concepts on format, scale, and target consumer.
• Paul: Iconic French bakery/café chain (Groupe Holder) operating company-owned and franchised bakeries serving viennoiserie, breads and sandwiches — directly comparable on retail bakery format, customer base, and brand positioning to Poulaillon.
• Brioche Pasquier: French industrial bakery manufacturer (cakes, viennoiseries, madeleines, breads); comparable on industrial bakery production, B2B supply to grande distribution, and competing retail baked-goods SKUs that overlap with Poulaillon's categories.
• Bridor: French commercial bakery manufacturer (Groupe Le Duff) producing viennoiseries, breads, and pastries for foodservice and retail — directly comparable on production scale, B2B customers, and similar product portfolio to Poulaillon.
• Maison Kayser: French artisanal bakery and café chain founded by Eric Kayser with both company-owned and franchise bakeries; serves an overlapping premium artisanal customer in similar bakery/café formats to Poulaillon's Moulins and Ateliers.

Broad incumbents

• Banette: French branded bread label (Sondeva/Agro-Soudure group) distributed broadly via B2B to retailers across France — comparable as an incumbent French branded-bakery competitor with significant grande distribution presence overlapping Poulaillon's B2B channel.
• St Michel (Maison St Michel): French family-owned industrial biscuit and patisserie manufacturer producing madeleines, galettes, and packaged bakery snacks; overlaps with Poulaillon on French snack and patisserie categories at retail across France.

Others

• Pomona (TerreAzur / EpiSaveurs): France's largest B2B food distributor serving restaurants and foodservice operators — a current Poulaillon partner and therefore an adjacent counterpart in bakery/snack distribution rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMtlVAFm8pGTSQFD3bjCK4A
• Facebookfacebook.com/Poulaillon
• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/poulaillon-sa
• Instagraminstagram.com/poulaillon/?hl=fr
• TikToktiktok.com/@poulaillon

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Poulaillon SA