Latest news with #PaulvanZuydam
France 24
08-05-2025
- Business
- France 24
Global cult following keeps Le Creuset simmering
For a maker of pots and pans, Le Creuset has had an astonishing global run and cult-like following that nobody could have predicted when the company first set out to produce staple kitchenware in Fresnoy-le-Grand, a modest village in northern France, in 1925. Two Belgian entrepreneurs built what, a century later, is still Le Creuset's home factory in the village of barely 3,000 inhabitants, home of the company's trademark enamelled cast-iron cookware. The flagship Dutch oven model, now available in about 100 colours, started out exclusively in flaming orange, which still makes Le Creuset pots instantly recognisable. With a price tag in the region of 250 euros ($280) for basic cast-iron models -- rising fast for elaborate models or special editions -- Le Creusets are high-end designer creations with a reputation for indestructibility. 'Crucible' All the company's cast-iron cookware is still exclusively made in the Fresnoy-le-Grand factory, the centrepieces of which are two giant electric furnaces -- also called "creuset", which is French for "crucible". The furnaces heat molten cast iron to 1,550 degrees Celsius (2,822 Fahrenheit), the melting point for this iron and carbon alloy. The blindingly bright liquid, hotter than lava, is then poured into a transfer recipient, which is automatically carried along a rail. The cast iron is poured quickly into sand moulds shaped by metal patterns to make raw products. The remaining cast iron and sand are recycled back into the manufacturing process. After being ground by robots and stripped by being exposed to bombardment with tiny steel beads, the utensils are glazed with enamel -- a mixture of glass, quartz, clay, water and colorants -- before vitrification at nearly 800C. The resulting variety of shapes and colours presents an industrial challenge, but "really embodies the strength and DNA of the brand," said Frederic Salle, manager of the site. Le Creuset now sells 95 percent of its production abroad, in more than 80 countries, but keeps a tight lid on financial data, which the privately held company is not obliged to disclose. Things weren't always upbeat. When Paul van Zuydam, a Briton with a South African background, bought Le Creuset in 1988, customers had gone cool on the brand. But Van Zuydam, who is still Le Creuset's president, pushed the company's international expansion, established it at the high segment of the market and diversified production sites for non-cast iron products to foreign countries, including China and Thailand. Social media success Le Creuset has 575 retail outlets in the world, with online sales having received a boost from a home cooking craze during the Covid pandemic. "The brand is doing very well pretty much everywhere in the world," said Marie Gigot, managing director for France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Like for many global companies, US President Donald Trump's tariff threats are a concern, she acknowledged. "The situation changes every day, so we follow it very closely." But US buyers wealthy enough to purchase Le Creuset products in the past will probably not be put off by any tariff hikes, said Nick Stene, head of home and garden research at Euromonitor, a market research company. "Homes that can afford to invest in the higher price points, especially over $300 for luxury cookware, are the last households to feel the pain when buying power is under pressure," he told AFP. Le Creuset has been "one of the strongest performers" in the homeware category, which has seen around 4.5-percent annual growth since 2019, he said. One major factor of success has been social media, where proud owners like to showcase their Le Creuset to prove they can afford it, but also that they "know how to use it properly", accompanied by hashtags like #LeCreuSlay, he said. "There is nothing quite as efficient as having your customers also act as your ambassadors and marketing team," added Stene.
Tatler Asia
22-04-2025
- Business
- Tatler Asia
Le Creuset at 100: How enamelled cast iron cookware conquered culinary culture
Above The iconic Flame colored Le Creuset Dutch oven with its signature vibrant orange-red enamel and embossed brand name (Photo: Unsplash/Becca Tapert) Their inaugural creation in 1925—a cocotte in a striking orange hue designated Volcanique (now termed Flame)—initiated a century of product development. This distinctive colour, evocative of molten iron during the casting process, became the firm's signature and remains emblematic in contemporary markets. The company has operated under Paul van Zuydam's ownership since 1988, during which period Le Creuset has expanded globally whilst maintaining traditional manufacturing processes. The corporate emblem, introduced in 1970, visually references metal casting and moulding techniques, reflecting the organisation's industrial heritage in a universally recognised form. Don't miss: Bill Bensley: Eco-luxury hotels' design rebel Artisanal methods in a mass-production era Above The Le Creuset Dutch oven with its distinctive glossy enamel finish in teal (Photo: Unsplash/Odiseo Castrejon) While much of the cookware industry has transitioned towards automated production and offshore manufacturing, Le Creuset continues to produce its cast iron items in the same foundry where operations commenced, employing methodologies that have remained fundamentally unchanged for a century. Each item requires meticulous craftsmanship and progresses through numerous production phases. The manufacturing protocol includes individual sand moulds that are destroyed after a single use, ensuring product uniqueness. The enamel coating—essentially vitrified glass bonded to iron at elevated temperatures—creates a surface that offers functional advantages beyond aesthetics: it remains non-reactive, non-porous and demonstrably durable. Read more: Home tour: Malaysian indoor-outdoor home blends concrete design with African influences Above A coordinated set of deep blue Le Creuset cookware creates a deliberate colour-themed culinary aesthetic (Photo: Unsplash/Dane Deaner) This commitment to quality correlates with premium pricing structures. However, the firm's lifetime warranty policy and the documented longevity of Le Creuset products as intergenerational possessions have substantiated this investment proposition for numerous consumers. The cookware distributes heat uniformly and maintains thermal efficiency, making it suitable for a wide range of culinary techniques, from slow cooking to braising, bread production, stewing, and frying. See also: Bordallo Pinheiro's quirky ceramicware and why they remain such enduring cult favourites Chromatic portfolio Above Le Creuset's precisely calibrated colour spectrum has defined the brand for a century (Photo: Le Creuset) If Le Creuset's manufacturing expertise constitutes its technical foundation, colour represents its market differentiation strategy. The firm has developed approximately 200 chromatic variations throughout its history, each formulated through empirical testing to ensure lasting visual integrity. Beyond the iconic Flame, Le Creuset has introduced colours that reflect evolving design sensibilities—from Mediterranean-inspired blues to contemporary pastels. Don't miss: 7 unique furniture colours that contrast with Mocha Mousse in your home Above Le Creuset launched Flamme Dorée collection for their 100th anniversary (Photo: Le Creuset) For its centennial , the company has released a limited production Flamme Dorée (Golden Flame) variant that references the original whilst incorporating contemporary design elements. Le Creuset's product evolution has progressed from a singular cast-iron cocotte to nearly 1,000 distinct product configurations, all available in the firm's extensive colour spectrum. This diversification has transformed cooking implements into design elements that collectors arrange in polychromatic displays and position prominently in domestic environments. Read more: Biophilic luxury: 7 stunning nature-integrated resorts Cultural significance and celebrity fans Above Meghan Markle cooking in a Meringue Le Creuset pot (Photo: Netflix) Le Creuset has achieved a position few kitchenware manufacturers attain: genuine cultural relevance whilst maintaining product authenticity and heritage values. Literary figure Joan Didion's Volcanique orange casserole dishes were documented in Vogue photography. Taylor Swift incorporates Le Creuset prominently in her domestic environment and documentary material, although the company was obliged to disassociate itself from artificial intelligence-generated advertisements falsely employing her likeness in early 2024. The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, displays her collection in her Netflix production "With Love, Meghan," arranging Dutch ovens in multiple chromatic variants during culinary demonstrations. See also: Inside Meghan Markle's Netflix house, where she filmed new lifestyle series 'With Love, Meghan' Above Le Creuset's innovative Star Wars collaboration merged culinary craftsmanship with pop culture appeal (Photo: Le Creuset) The firm has additionally ventured into strategic collaborations with intellectual property franchises including Star Wars, Harry Potter and Hello Kitty, introducing Le Creuset's manufacturing standards to alternative market segments whilst maintaining premium positioning. These commercial partnerships have facilitated brand relevance across diverse demographic categories. Collectors like April Hershberger restructure their domestic environments around their Le Creuset acquisitions, transforming kitchenware into a phenomenon comparable to luxury apparel brands. This consumer devotion has recategorised Le Creuset from kitchen equipment to status indicators that communicate both serious culinary intentions and aesthetic discernment. Don't miss: 10 most expensive Lego Star Wars sets to bring home on Star Wars Day Contemporary market position Above Le Creuset in Olive, White Chiffon and Pink palette (Photo: Le Creuset) Above Le Creuset in a Meringue, Oyster and Sea Salt palette (Photo: Le Creuset) In 2025, as households navigate economic constraints, investment-grade products with demonstrated longevity have gained market traction. Le Creuset's slow-cooking proposition aligns with contemporary reconsideration of rapid consumption models across product categories. The brand's persistent popularity has generated consumer behaviours typically associated with limited-edition luxury goods, as evidenced by the requirement for law enforcement intervention at the Andover retail event—perhaps the definitive indication of Le Creuset's exceptional market position. Read more: 7 Chic Cutlery Sets with Design Pedigree Above Le Creuset offers a wide range of colours, ranging from vibrant reds, oranges and yellows to soothing blues and elegant neutrals (Photo: Le Creuset) What originated as a cast-iron cooking pot has evolved into a symbol of culinary sophistication and aspirational lifestyle, valued by successive generations and sought by collectors internationally. In Le Creuset's commercial universe, a pot functions not merely as a cooking receptacle—it represents an embodiment of craft, colour and material culture that has successfully navigated a century of shifting consumer preferences and technological developments. 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