What FIRSTGRANULATS does

FirstGranulats operates an e-commerce platform that sells and delivers decorative and construction aggregates — sand, gravel, decorative stones, and gabion kits — in big-bag format (1/4 m3 and 1/2 m3) directly to customers across metropolitan France. The platform is structured as a GIE (Groupement d'Intérêt Économique) under French law, headquartered in Argentré-du-Plessis, and was created in 2022 by Groupe PIGEON, a diversified industrial group founded in 1929 with 2,000+ employees across 130+ sites. The catalog spans more than 40 product references across five categories: decorative gravels, gabions, sands, construction materials, and gardening materials, with prices varying by delivery department and transport included. Customers can order 24/7 from any device, use a material calculator, request free samples, and visualize products via an augmented reality simulator before purchase.

The platform is built on the Odoo framework, with secure payment processing via Mercanet (BNP Paribas) and installment payment options (3x/4x or 10x) provided by FLOA. Delivery is handled by third-party carriers who schedule appointments with customers, with a standard "to portal" service and a premium "Fond de jardin" option that places pallets closer to the project site using motorized pallet trucks. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and product-led growth: self-serve e-commerce targeting individual homeowners undertaking garden, pathway, and driveway projects, with secondary segments of landscapers/garden designers and professional prescriber clients. Demand is driven through SEO-optimized product pages, a blog/advice content library, email communications, a weekday phone hotline, and the free samples program. Standard delivery is fulfilled in under one week across metropolitan France, with overseas territories (DOM-TOM) excluded.

Name

FIRSTGRANULATS

Legal name

GIE FIRSTGRANULATS

Website

https://firstgranulats.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Short description

FirstGranulats is an e-commerce platform, created in 2022 by Groupe PIGEON, that sells and delivers decorative and construction aggregates in big-bag format to individual homeowners and professional clients across metropolitan France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Aggregates & Landscaping Materials Supply

NAICS

Brick, Stone, and Related Construction Material Merchant Wholesalers (42332)

SIC

Cut Stone & Stone Products (3281)

akta.pro primary industry

Aggregates & Dimension Stone Trading (Sand & Gravel, Crushed Stone, Limestone, Granite, Marble) (IMAKAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Aggregates (Rail Ballast, Riprap/Armor Stone, Gabion Stone) (IMAKAHAJ), Concrete, Cement & Aggregates Retail (Bagged Mix, Sand, Gravel) (CRAIAEAG)

Keywords

• Decorative aggregates
• Construction materials
• Big-bag delivery
• Garden landscaping supplies
• Gravel and sand supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Argentré-du-plessis

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Aggregate Product Sales: One-time sale of sand, gravel, decorative stones, and gabion materials in Big-Bag (1/4 m3) and Maxi Big-Bag (1/2 m3) formats. Prices are all-inclusive (transport included) and vary by department and quantity ordered.
2. Garden Delivery Option: Premium delivery service option for 'Fond de jardin' (back of garden) delivery, billed as a separate line item on top of standard product prices

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FirstGranulats operates an online direct-to-consumer platform selling and delivering decorative and construction aggregates — including decorative gravels, sands, gabion stones, construction materials, and gardening products — packaged in Big-Bag (1/4 m3) or Maxi Big-Bag (1/2 m3) formats, with transport included in the displayed price, delivered across metropolitan France.

Product overview

FirstGranulats is an e-commerce platform for selling and delivering construction and decorative aggregates (sand, gravel, gabion stones) in big-bag format. The platform operates as a direct-to-consumer digital marketplace with over 40 product references across four main categories: decorative gravels (Graviers déco), gabions, construction materials, and gardening materials. Products are sourced primarily from French quarries and delivered nationwide in Big-Bag (1/4 m3) or Maxi Big-Bag (1/2 m3) formats. The core offering includes individual product sales, gabion kits (pre-packaged with cages and stones in S/M/L sizes), and various sand and gravel types for different applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Decorative Gravels (Graviers déco) Over 40 types of decorative gravels, pebbles, and stones sourced from selected French quarries in various colors and granulometries, sold in big-bag format for gardens, driveways, pathways, pool areas, and landscaping projects.
• Gabion Kits and Stones Pre-assembled gabion kits (in sizes S, M, L with metal cages and decorative stones) and individual gabion stones for retaining walls, garden features, and decorative structures.
• Construction and Specialty Sands (Sables) Various sand types including Sable de calage, Sable à maçonner, Sable filtrant, Sable à enduire, Sable fin blanc, Sable pétanque, and Sable-Arène d'Hambers for masonry, rendering, filtration, pétanque courts, and decorative applications.
• Construction Materials Construction aggregates including Calcaire de Beauce (0/20, 0/31.5), Gravier Recyclé (0/31.5), Matériau Drainant (20/40, 40/80), Gravier cana, and Mélange Sable & Gravier béton for foundations, drainage, earthworks, and concrete preparation.
• Gardening Materials (Jardinage) Gardening materials including Terre végétale, Pouzzolane, and Paillette d'ardoise for topsoil, mulching, weed prevention, and soil moisture retention in gardens and flower beds.
• Big-Bag Home Delivery Service Home delivery of materials in Big-Bag (1/4 m3) or Maxi Big-Bag (1/2 m3) formats on pallets to the customer's portal/stoop within 5 working days, with transport included in the displayed product price.
• Premium 'Fond de jardin' Delivery Option Premium delivery service using motorized pallet trucks to place big-bags closer to the customer's garden or project area (within 10 working days), billed as an additional line item on top of standard product prices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivery in under 1 week across metropolitan France
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BNP Paribas (Mercanet)coreTechnology or IntegrationSecure online payment processing through Mercanet, the fully secure payment system of BNP Paribas. All online transactions are processed through this payment gateway.
• Third-Party CarrierscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTransportation partners responsible for delivering big-bag materials to customers. Carriers take direct contact with customers to schedule delivery appointments. They use manual or motorized pallet trucks for unloading. Carriers operate as sub-processors under FirstGranulats' instructions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gedimat: French network of independent building materials retailers offering aggregates, sands, gravels and construction supplies to both DIY consumers and professionals. Closely comparable in product mix and customer base, with growing e-commerce capabilities.
• ManoMano: French-founded European online marketplace specializing in DIY, home improvement and garden products. Directly comparable as a pure-play e-commerce D2C platform serving homeowners and small professionals for home and outdoor projects in France.

Broad incumbents

• BigMat: European network of independent building materials distributors present in France. Sells construction aggregates, sand, gravel and related materials, comparable in product offering though traditionally offline and trade-focused.
• Brico Dépôt: French discount DIY retailer (Kingfisher group). Overlaps on garden and outdoor materials with DIY consumers, though with a primarily physical discount-store format rather than home delivery of bulk materials.
• Point.P: One of France's largest building materials distribution networks (Saint-Gobain). Sells aggregates, sand, gravel and construction materials to professionals and individuals across hundreds of branches; comparable in product category but with a primarily physical distribution model.
• Heidelberg Materials France: Major French subsidiary of Heidelberg Materials producing and supplying aggregates and cement. Comparable as a source of supply for the French aggregates market, though serving large construction customers rather than D2C.
• Castorama: Major French DIY and home improvement retailer with extensive outdoor and landscaping ranges. Comparable customer overlap (DIY homeowners, small landscapers), though a much broader assortment than FirstGranulats' aggregates-only focus.
• Leroy Merlin: France's leading home improvement and DIY retailer with a strong outdoor/landscaping category. Overlaps with FirstGranulats on decorative aggregates, garden materials and DIY homeowners, but operates a much broader multi-category assortment.
• Lafarge (Holcim): One of France's largest producers of aggregates, cement and construction materials. Comparable in raw materials category and supply side, though operating at industrial B2B scale rather than D2C e-commerce for small quantities.

Others

• Wienerberger France: French subsidiary of the European building materials group offering clay products and adjacent construction solutions. Comparable as an adjacent construction materials supplier serving the same French building professionals, though not a direct competitor on aggregates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 FIRSTGRANULATS