Customer testimonials
Small cookies with a big impact! The CTCPA accompanies Handi-Gaspi in the food transition
08
June
Published on : 08/06/2022
Founded by Katia TARDY, Alix GUYOT and Louise DOULLIET, the Handi-Gaspi cookie factory manufactures and markets small cookies with a maximum impact! The CTCPA accompanied the winning company of the National Organic Food Creation Contest on the HACCP, hygiene and packaging aspects. Alix GUYOT, co-founder, comes back with us on this support.
How was the Handi-Gaspi cookie factory born?
Katia, Louise and I met in an association that works for people with disabilities. At the end of our mission, we decided to create our common project with the objective of shaking up the food industry in order to prove that other more solidary and circular models are possible!
This idea was born from two observations:
- Food waste in France today represents 10 million tons of food that can still be consumed, including 50,000 tons of bread "lost " at bakeries.
- At the same time, people with disabilities are twice as affected by unemployment as the national average and disability organizations are struggling to find new activities.
In 2021, we co-founded the Handi-Gaspi cookie factory, which offers small cookies made and packaged by people with mental and psychic disabilities. All the recipes are made from reused organic bread. Our ambition? To accelerate the food transition.
Discover the cookie factory in video!
Where do you stand today?
We have made Handi-Gaspi known through several contests won in connection with our commitments:
- 1st prize in the Positive Food competition
- 1st prize for organic food creation
- 3rd prize of the Natexbio Challenge
- Agefiph's "Employment & Disability" Trophy
We are now part of the Réseau Entreprendre Atlantique.
30 workers disabled people have been trained for the entire project: manufacturing, packaging, order preparation and delivery.
What is "Kignon"? Tell us about your products...
Our cookies are sold in dozens of organic stores and bulk grocery stores in the region.
We have just finalized a pre-order campaign on Bluebees and launched our e-commerce site www.kignon.fr.
We now wish to go further by integrating other unsold products or co-products such as beer draff or apple pomace. To be continued!
How did you know the CTCPA ? What did you think of the CTCPA's support?
"We advise all small businesses to go through the CTCPA to prevent and avoid mistakes. It's a real plus to have the experience of the CTCPA when starting a business!"
Personally, I knew the CTCPA for its cookie training during my previous experiences in a big French cookie factory.
It is on the occasion of the National Contest of Organic Food Creation that we contacted the CTCPA. The CTCPA is a partner of the contest since its creation. Our cookie factory Handi-Gaspi was the winner of the contest. A support of the CTCPA up to 3000 € was offered to us as a reward!
After the competition, we met Marie-Luce LE BRIQUER, project manager for cereal products technology at the CTCPA Nantes, with whom we were able to discuss our different needs. She advised us and we agreed an intervention on the HACCP part, a hygiene training for the workers and a distance learning on packaging.
Before launching the cookie factory, Catherine STRIDE, Director of the Western Pole (CTCPA Nantes) came to our site in Savenay in order to carry out an inventory and to accompany us on the quality procedures to be set up. It was important for us to frame our start-up because we had no experience in creating a food processing plant. We did not want to make any mistake. Catherine STRIDE's advice and comments were very useful and allowed us to calibrate.
Then, Fabrice MORIN, assistant project manager, came to the site to conduct a hygiene training for the workers. This allowed them to start again on a good basis.
Finally, we are going to follow a training on packaging in order to have more knowledge to understand the technical criteria (permeability...).
In summary, we are very satisfied with the CTCPA. The teams are always very available, attentive and reactive. We can always ask our questions by mail or by phone, which is greatly appreciated! The teams share with us their opinions, advice and warnings so that we don't make a mistake that could be fatal. We advise all small businesses to go through the CTCPA to prevent and avoid mistakes. It is a real plus to benefit from the experience of the CTCPA at the beginning of its activity!
Where can we find you soon?
Don't hesitate to come and meet us at Natexpo (September 18 and 20)!
CONTACT HANDI-GASPI :
CONTACT CTCPA :
- CTCPA Nantes : nantes@ctcpa.org
- Marie-Luce LE BRIQUER : mlbriquer@ctcpa.org
