Vendée les Herbiers Football

What Vendée les Herbiers Football does

Vendée les Herbiers Football (VHF) is an amateur French football club based in Les Herbiers, Pays de la Loire, operating as an association loi 1901 with a parallel SAS structure for professional operations. Founded in its current form in 1949 (with roots to L'Alouette Sportive in 1920), the club fields competitive teams across all age and gender categories, from U6 through senior men's and women's sides. Its flagship men's team competes in National 1, the fourth tier of French football, having reached the 2017-2018 Coupe de France final against Paris Saint-Germain at the Stade de France. The club serves approximately 680 licensed members, supported by 100+ (up to 200 during events) volunteers, 160+ private partners, and public subsidies from the Les Herbiers municipality and the Vendée Departmental Council.

VHF's service surface spans competitive football participation, a youth academy (U7-U18) housed in the 2022-built Club Académie at Stade Massabielle, school sports sections at Collège Jean Yole and Lycée Jean 23/Jean Monnet, summer football camps for ages 9-13, the annual Tournoi du 1er Mai youth tournament, an on-site merchandise boutique, and a clubhouse used for partner receptions. The senior coaching staff for National 1 is led by head coach Laurent David (since 2022) with a dedicated assistant coach, goalkeeper coach, physical trainer, and physiotherapist. Equipment supply is transitioning from Puma to Hummel starting the 2026-2027 season.

The business model is non-profit association income: it combines licensing/membership fees, matchday revenue (tickets and on-site bar/restaurant), equipment-pack sales to licensed players (€30-75 per pack), equipment licensing/sponsorship (Hummel/Intersport), enrollment fees for summer camps (€160 per week), and the dominant revenue layer — sponsorship from 160+ private partners and public subsidies. Distribution is single-site and in-person: merchandise is collected at Stade Massabielle on match nights, with no shipping option. The club's go-to-market is community-led, relying on local discovery sessions, trials, open days, and grassroots promotion through its website and Facebook page rather than performance marketing.

Name

Vendée les Herbiers Football

Legal name

Vendée les Herbiers Football

Website

https://vendeelesherbiersfootball.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vendée les Herbiers Football (VHF) is an amateur French football club in Les Herbiers, Pays de la Loire, operating as a non-profit association. It runs 680 licensed members across U6-to-senior men's and women's teams, competing at National 1 with Hummel as equipment partner and municipal plus private sponsorship funding operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Amateur Football Club Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA), Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

Keywords

• Amateur football club
• Youth football academy
• Football training programs
• Competitive football leagues
• School sports sections

Headquarters

HQ city

Les Herbiers

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and partnerships: Revenue from private partners (160+ mentioned), municipal support from the town of Les Herbiers, and departmental council backing
2. Matchday revenue: Ticket sales, food and beverage operations (bar/restaurant) during home matches at Stade Massabielle
3. Merchandise sales: Club boutique selling equipment packs, training gear, and official merchandise to members and supporters
4. Equipment licensing: Equipment supply agreement with Hummel as official kit supplier
5. Football camps: Summer football camps for youth aged 9-13, generating enrollment fees

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Vendée les Herbiers Football (VHF) is an amateur football club that fields a senior men's team competing in National 1 (4th tier of French football) and a senior women's team, alongside a comprehensive youth development structure covering male and female teams from U6 to U18. The club also runs summer football camps for ages 9-13, an annual youth tournament (Tournoi du 1er Mai), school sports sections (Sections Sportives Scolaires) in partnership with local middle and high schools, and an on-site official merchandise boutique. All activities operate from the Stade Massabielle facility in Les Herbiers.

Product overview

Vendée les Herbiers Football (VHF) is a amateur football club operating primarily as a sports service provider. The club offers a comprehensive range of services including competitive football at National 1 level, youth academies (from U7 to U18), school sports sections, summer football camps (Stage Foot), and an annual youth tournament (Tournoi du 1er Mai). The club also operates an official merchandise boutique. All services are centered around Stade Massabielle, the club's home facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Official Club Boutique (Boutique) Official merchandise shop selling club equipment including training packs (jacket+pants and jersey+shorts) in adult and children sizes, available for pickup on match days at Stade Massabielle. Pack 1 (Jacket+Pants): 75€ adult / 65€ child. Pack 2 (Jersey+Shorts): 35€ adult / 30€ child. Bundle discount of 5€ when both packs are purchased together.
• Stage Foot (Summer Football Camps) Football camps for children aged 9-13 combining football practice (futsal, footvolley, goalkeeper training, tennis ball) with recreational activities (bowling, laser game, acrobranche). Run during school holidays and summer at Stade Massabielle. Priced at 160€ per week including complete equipment, ball, and water bottle.
• Tournoi du 1er Mai (May 1st Annual Tournament) Annual youth football tournament held at Stade Massabielle bringing together over 700 young players in U11 and U13 categories, organized by club volunteers with catering and bar services.
• Sections Sportives Scolaires (School Sports Sections) School-integrated football programs at Collège Jean Yole (1st cycle, 6ème to 3ème) and Lycée Jean 23/Jean Monnet (2nd cycle, 2nde to Terminale) combining academic studies with 2-3 weekly football training sessions at Stade Massabielle.
• Football Academy and Competitive Teams Comprehensive youth development program with competitive teams from U7 through U18 for both boys and girls, culminating in senior men's National 1 and women's football teams. Includes dedicated academy facilities and UEFA-certified coaching staff.

Quantifiable outcome

• 680 licensed members across all categories
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HummelcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026Hummel signed as new official equipment supplier starting 2026-2027 season after 5-year partnership with Puma ended. Selected through a joint RFP process with Intersport. Chosen for commitment to RSE, respecting club's red and black historical colors, and long-term partnership vision.
• La Gaubretière - Saint-Martin-des-Tilleuls (GSM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFootball federation entente created for women's team B, with 7 players joining from the partner club. Long-term collaboration envisioned including potential U18 women's team.
• Bertrand de VilliersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner supporting team cohesion activities including the traditional Cinéscénie du Puy du Fou evening for players
• Les Herbiers MunicipalitécoreOthersMunicipal government support for club operations and facilities at Stade Massabielle
• Conseil Départemental de VendéecoreOthersDepartmental council support for club activities
• College Jean Yole des HerbierscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool Sport Section (SSS) partnership for 1st cycle students (6eme to 3eme) combining education with football training
• Lycée Jean 23 / Jean Monnet des HerbierscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool Sport Section (SSS) partnership for 2nd cycle students (2nde to Terminale) balancing studies with football development
• Ligue de Football des Pays de la LoirecoreOthersRegional football federation organizing championships, cups, and referee/official training. Club participates in LFPL competitions at all levels.
• IntersportminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnered in equipment supplier selection process; operates retail locations for sports equipment

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SAS Épinal: Vosges-based amateur club competing around the National/National 2 tiers with a similar community-led, small-town identity and reliance on local partners.
• US Quevilly-Rouen Métropole: Normandy-based amateur football club that reached the 2012 Coupe de France final as a lower-division side — closely mirroring VHF's small-club cup-run profile, National 1/2 tier, and community-led model.
• Red Star FC: Historic Parisian community-based club playing in the lower professional tiers, sharing VHF's volunteer-and-membership-driven operating ethos and grassroots brand identity.
• Angoulême Charente FC: National/National 2 amateur club from western France with a comparable small-city footprint, regional sponsorship model, and competitive tier to VHF.
• Le Puy Foot 43 Auvergne: Auvergne-based amateur club that reached the 2020 Coupe de France semi-final — directly comparable to VHF in tier, regional-community operating model, and outsized cup-run brand value.
• FC Chambly: French amateur club from the Picardy region that reached the 2019 Coupe de France semi-final, offering a near-identical profile to VHF: small-town National-level club punching above its weight in cup competition.

Regional players

• La Roche Vendée Football: Direct regional competitor in the Vendée/Pays de la Loire area competing at similar regional and National-level divisions, sharing the same talent catchment.
• Stade Lavallois: Higher-tier professional club from the same Pays de la Loire region; operates as a regional incumbent for talent and sponsors that VHF also targets at the lower tier.
• SO Cholet: Another Pays de la Loire football club operating at regional/National tiers, competing with VHF for local players, sponsors, and fans in the same geographic market.

Broad incumbents

• AS Saint-Étienne: Historic French football club based in central France with a massive membership and volunteer base; serves as a broader incumbent benchmark for community-driven amateur-rooted operations, even though it operates at a substantially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vendeelesherbiersfootball
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vend%C3%A9e-les-herbiers-football

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Vendée les Herbiers Football