By finalizing its 3rd round of financing, the brand of organic cosmetics and hygiene products made with fruit and vegetables that don't need to be wasted confirms its appeal.
Founded in 2009 by Julie Ducret in the South of France, Pulpe de Vie manufactures certified ORGANIC cosmetics and personal care products from unsold local fruit and vegetables, discarded from the food chain because they are damaged or poorly graded. A sustainable and responsible approach, and genuine financial support for French producers and farmers for over 13 years, enabling them to make up to 20% of their income.
Today, the company announces a new round of financing of 1.1 million euros from its historical partners (Crédit Agricole Alpes Provence with its subsidiary CAAP Création and Région Sud with Région Sud Investissement), A Plus Finance with the InvESS't Paca fund (created in partnership with the Chambre Régionale de l'Économie Sociale et Solidaire) and Banque Populaire Méditerranée (BPMED), plus credit lines of 600 k€ to support working capital requirements (Crédit Agricole Alpes Provence, BP Med, Société Marseillaise de Crédit, Crédit Coopératif).
This latest round of funding, in a tense economic climate, demonstrates the potential of the start-up, which plans to accelerate its growth dramatically by strengthening its team (recruitment of 13 people, the majority of whom will be salespeople), boosting its multi-channel digital strategy (online site, social networks and marketplaces) and increasing the brand's presence in Europe.
The aim is to triple its growth by 2026 and balance its sales between supermarkets (50%) and online/export sales (50%).
What convinced investors? The start-up's highly differentiating organic-local-anti-hazard-ecological positioning, its trajectory, its financial development (nearly 3 million euros with just 7 employees in 2022), its resilience in an extremely competitive environment, the personality of its founder, and above all, its hybrid model, with a strong presence both on the Web and in supermarkets.
The year 2023 is proving to be a strategic one for Pulpe de vie, with a major 360° launch in capillaries and a demanding 4-year ecological transition plan. In fact, the brand is taking part in the Convention des Entreprises pour le Climat (Businesses for Climate Convention), as well as in the "Cedre "* support program of the South Region, in order to study the environmental impact of its activities. Mission: to aim for carbon neutrality by establishing a regenerative roadmap over 5 years. A roadmap that is already beginning with its 10 anti-waste actions, the most important of which is to use downgraded organic seasonal fruit and vegetables, harvested directly from farmers, to transform them into high-performance cosmetic active ingredients, thus supporting a 100% French production chain (Provence, Paris region, Brittany), with an overall commitment to promoting short circuits and recycling waste (upcycling).
The Pulpe de vie range includes some forty Cosmos Organic-certified products (creams, serums, cleansers, toothpastes, deodorants, shampoos, etc.) at fair prices. The democratization of organic products depends on price and accessibility!
While the brand started out in selective distribution under the Biocoop, Parashop and Nature & Découverte banners, it quickly won the bet of mass retailers, entering the big leagues at Intermarché, Carrefour and Lidl, while also being very active on the web (+80% growth between 2019 and 2022), which has enabled it to boost sales. The company's founder, Julie Ducret, has won several awards to her credit (Beyond Beauty "Coup de cœur du Jury" award, "Les femmes de l'Économie" trophy in Marseille, "Personnalité de l'année PME-TPE" at the Trophées LSA).
" We particularly appreciate Pulpe de Vie whose dynamism and environmental commitment have won over consumers in search of authenticity, ecology and naturalness. We've been supporting this project since it first raised funds, and we're delighted to be taking part in this round with new investors. "comments Armand Perrin, Investment Director at CAAP Création.
"With this eighth investment from the fund, we're delighted to be supporting Julie and her team, and the development of a company at the heart of InvESS't PACA's goals and approach: female entrepreneurship, short supply chains, ecological transitions, regional cooperation, etc.says Jean-Michel Sibué, Managing Partner at A Plus Finance.
" We are particularly pleased to invest in Pulpe de Vie. The management team, Julie Ducret and her team, the business sector, the economic model, both economical and virtuous, all came together to convince us to invest in the company. It's a company we support and which we were able to follow as part of Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur Emergence. Its steady growth and commitment to sustainable development convinced RSI to continue the adventure alongside this fine local company. "says Pierre Joubert, Managing Director, Région Sud Investissement.
" Pulpe de Vie meets all the social commitments of Banque Populaire Méditerranée. It's a company that's firmly rooted in our region, and one that's committed to fighting food waste. It made perfect sense for us to support it, and we are proud to accompany it in its many virtuous projects. "says Philippe Gassend, Operations Manager at Banque Populaire Méditerranée.
" We are delighted by the support of our long-standing shareholders and the arrival of new investors, who validate our long-standing commitment to the environment. This new round of financing enables us to take a major step forward "concludes Julie Ducret, President of Pulpe de Vie.
