If the artisan bakers of Haut-Rhin make the famous galettes des Rois, they are not the only ones. Large-scale distribution also benefits greatly from this, with products, according to several directors of large stores, of very variable quality and prices. “Our role as a supermarket is to offer the widest possible offers,” summarizes Mathias Michenaud, director of Carrefour in Houssen.
« Du real butter and not margarine »
Thus, whatever the brands, they sell three types of pancakes: industrial ones such as Pasquier® or Fournée Dorée®. These entry-level products can be sold for less than three euros. There are also “raw frozen”, pancakes made by manufacturers and cooked on site, which represent the majority of sales, and pancakes entirely made on site.
“We make around 300 from A to Z in our workshops, 4,000 baked in our ovens and 400 industrially,” explains Anthony Castel, director of the Hyper U in the city of Bartholdi. And continues: “With the quantities we sell, we are not able to manufacture them all on site. This would require a lot more staff and time, puff pastry is a long product to work with, but whether they are made or cooked on site, we offer pancakes with real butter and not margarine, real almonds and not a simple almond flavor…, they are all of good quality.” It is also a cake made by the U group, which was crowned gold medal in the competition for the best cake, awarded on December 10 by the federation of bakers of Haut-Rhin, to Thierry Miclo, baker at Super U of Munster.
A tradition that counts in Alsace
Prices can go up to around thirty euros but, assures Fabien Supernat, director of Leclerc in Wintzenheim-Logelbach: “From €6.90 with our pancakes cooked on site, we have a very interesting quality/price ratio, we gets what you pay for. “. The three aforementioned directors are unanimous, sales of cakes are significant. “Customers are attached to it, it’s a tradition that counts in Alsace,” observes Mathias Michenaud.
Each of the brands sells nearly 5,000 per year. Sales begin slowly the day after Christmas and peak in the days surrounding January 6 before declining again after a fortnight. “We make the majority of sales on January 6 and when people return to work, they can share a cake with their colleagues,” remarks Anthony Castel.
Frangipane appeals to at least “60 to 70% of customers”
Other similarities between the three brands, frangipane is the queen of pancakes, it attracts at least “60 to 70% of customers” at Carrefour, according to Mathias Michenaud. Those with apples are right behind them, followed in random order by apples/pears, chocolate spreads or red fruits.
To make their choice, some customers hunt for the best beans. Fabophiles will therefore turn to Hyper U if they are fans of Harry Potter with whom the brand has signed a partnership to obtain exploitation of the visuals of the famous sorcerer, Leclerc if they prefer Minions or Carrefour for Asterix.
