ALMA FRC

What ALMA FRC does

Saphir Beauté du Cuir, doing business as ALMA FRC, is a French specialist leather-care brand founded in 1920 and operated today as part of the Avel Group alongside the Saphir Médaille d'Or, La Cordonnerie Anglaise, and Louis XIII brands. The company develops and manufactures premium leather maintenance products using natural ingredients — beeswax, carnauba wax, shea butter, almond, jojoba, avocado, sesame, and other plant- and mineral-based oils and waxes — with formulations that are solvent-free and contain no resin, silicone, or synthesised compounds. Its portfolio spans polishes, nourishing creams, recolouring creams, dyes, cleaners, waterproofers, and accessories covering smooth leather, suede, nubuck, patent, reptile, cordovan, textile, and sneaker materials, with the flagship Crème Surfine line offering over 85 colour options and a patented Pommadier Brush (INPI).

The brand holds the French government Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) label and its Renovateur product won the 1925 Paris Médaille d'Or. Revenue is generated primarily through direct-to-consumer e-commerce on its Shopify-hosted saphir.com storefront, supplemented by a global network of physical retail partners accessed via a store locator, with dedicated French and international enquiry lines. Pricing is low-ticket unit-based (most SKUs €8–€25), and the customer base is fragmented across individual consumers, professional shoemakers, furniture/automotive leather users, suede/nubuck specialists, and the sneaker care segment. The company ships to 6 continents and is supported by partners including Shopify (platform) and Mondial Relay (returns logistics) under the Avel Group corporate umbrella, with headquarters and production in Magnac-Lavalette-Villars, Charente, France.

Name

ALMA FRC

Legal name

Saphir Beauté du Cuir

Website

https://saphir.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Saphir Beauté du Cuir (ALMA FRC) is a French heritage leather-care brand, part of the Avel Group, selling premium polishes, creams, dyes, cleaners, and protectors for shoes, leather goods, furniture, and sneakers globally via its Shopify e-commerce site and a physical retail network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leather Care Products

NAICS

Polish and Other Sanitation Good Manufacturing (325612)

SIC

Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)

akta.pro primary industry

Leather Waterproofing / Protection Treatments (HSAJAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Leather & Suede Stain/Odor Removal & Decontamination (HSAJAHAG)

Keywords

• Leather care products
• Shoe polish creams
• Leather cleaners
• Sneaker care
• Leather waterproofing

Headquarters

HQ city

Magnac Lavalette Villars

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: The company sells directly to consumers through its e-commerce platform saphir.com, offering a wide range of leather care products including polishes, cleaners, dyes, waterproofing, and accessories for various leather types.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Saphir Beauté du Cuir manufactures and sells premium leather care products including polishes, creams, dyes, cleaners, waterproofing treatments, and protective accessories for smooth leather, suede, nubuck, patent leather, reptile leather, cordovan, and textiles. The portfolio spans core polishing creams (such as the 85+ colour Crème Surfine), specialized treatments (Renovateur, Vernis Rife, Reptan), cleaning solutions (Réno'Mat, Foam Cleaner, Hussard stain removers), waterproofing (Everest Grease, Nano Invulner), and application accessories (brushes, cloths, shoe trees). Products are formulated with natural ingredients such as beeswax, carnauba wax, shea butter, and plant-based oils, without silicone or synthetic resins.

Product overview

Saphir Beauté du Cuir is a comprehensive leather care product portfolio consisting of creams, polishes, dyes, cleaners, protectors, accessories, and specialized treatments for various leather types. The product line includes core polishing and coloring products (Crème Surfine with over 85 colors, Pâte de Luxe, Amiral Gloss, Renovateur which won the 1925 Médaille d'Or), specialized care products for different leather types (Cordovan cream for horsehide, Reptan for reptile leather, Vernis Rife for patent leather), cleaning products (Réno'Mat, Foam Cleaner, Shampoo, Gommadin), protection products (Nano Invulner, Invulner, Protector, various waterproofing greases), comfort products (Shoe-eze leather softeners, Menthol deodorizer), recoloring and dye products (Juvacuir, Teinture Française including DEEP BLACK variant, Tanil), and accessories (brushes, shoe trees, cleaning cloths, insoles). The portfolio also includes furniture leather care products under the Avel brand. The company is part of the Avel Group and is a 100% French company holding the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) certification. Products are made with organic ingredients including natural oils, waxes, and do not contain embedded resin, silicone, or synthesized compounds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Everest: Leather protection product line for harsh weather conditions, made from natural oils
• Shoe-Eze
• Ouraline
• Saphir Médaille d'Or

Products and services

• Crème Surfine High-quality shoe polish with beeswax and sweet almond oil that moisturizes, nourishes, and recolors smooth leather. Available in over 85 colours.
• Pâte de Luxe Revitalizing cream that recolors and polishes smooth leather with beeswax and carnauba wax formula.
• Amiral Gloss High-gloss polish designed for quick and easy mirror shine (glaçage) on smooth leather.
• Renovateur Exclusive formula based on beeswax and apricot oil that cleans, nourishes, protects, and shines smooth leather. The product that established the brand's reputation and won the Médaille d'Or in 1925.
• Sneaker Cream Specialized cream for sneakers that nourishes, shines, and protects with beeswax, apricot oil, and lanolin. First specialist cream designed specifically for sneakers.
• Renovétine Unique formula based on almond oil for suede and nubuck that nourishes, cleans, recolors, and waterproofs. Only product of its kind on the French market.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products are safe for human skin contact and safe if ingested, demonstrating gentle natural formulation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Avel GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaphir Beauté du Cuir is part of the Avel Group of companies, which includes other leather care brands such as Saphir Médaille d'Or (at saphir.paris), La Cordonnerie Anglaise, and Louis XIII. The Avel Group owns and operates the Saphir brand.
• Shopify Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationThe company's e-commerce platform saphir.com is hosted on Shopify Inc.'s online e-commerce platform, enabling the sale of products and services to customers.
• Mondial RelayminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAVEL (parent company of Saphir) offers customers the option to use Mondia Relay return labels for convenient package drop-off at nearby stores, with competitive pricing through local delivery providers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fiebing's: US-based leather care and leather dye manufacturer with a long heritage and broad product range covering polishes, dyes, and leather finishes. Comparable on leather care chemistry, B2B/B2C split, and craft/heritage positioning.
• Collonil: German heritage leather care brand (subsidiary of Salzenbrodt) with deep presence in footwear, bags, and outdoor categories. Closely comparable on product range (polishes, waterproofers, cleaners) and professional/consumer split, with strong European retail distribution.
• Saphir Médaille d'Or: Premium-tier sister brand within the Avel Group selling the same leather care categories (polishes, creams, accessories) at a higher price point with the historical Médaille d'Or identity. Closely comparable product catalogue, direct-to-consumer model, and target professional/consumer audience.
• Bickmore: US leather care brand with a heritage product line covering polishes, cleaners, and waterproofers. Comparable in leather care positioning and traditional shoe-care SKUs, with overlap in professional and consumer segments.
• Meltonian: Shoe polish brand with a long history in European and international markets, offering a comparable range of polishes, creams, and dyes. Direct competitor in the mid-market leather care segment with overlapping retail distribution.
• Angelus: US-based specialist in leather paints, dyes, and sneaker customisation products with strong traction in the sneakerhead and customisation community. Comparable in the leather dye/customisation adjacency and the sneaker care overlap with Saphir's sneaker line.
• Tarrago: Spanish-based global leather care and shoe care brand with a comparable product portfolio (creams, dyes, waterproofers, sneaker care) sold worldwide through DTC and retail. Direct competitor in premium leather care, especially across Europe and Latin America.

Emerging players

• Shoe Rescue / Jason Markk: US-based sneaker care brand with strong DTC and brand presence in the sneakerhead community. Comparable in the sneaker care overlap with Saphir's sneaker line, and an emerging competitor for younger consumers entering leather/sneaker care.

Broad incumbents

• La Cordonnerie Anglaise: Avel Group sister brand supplying leather care products to the trade and professional cobblers. Closely comparable product range, with a stronger professional/cobbler channel focus rather than direct consumer.
• Kiwi (SC Johnson): Mass-market shoe polish brand owned by SC Johnson, dominating the global mass-tier shoe polish category. Not a direct premium competitor, but the dominant incumbent in the broader leather care category that Saphir competes against for share of consumer spend.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/saphir_official
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/avel-alma-frc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 ALMA FRC