CAPDECO bets on accessible luxury

In response to the slowdown of the European market, the French cutlery manufacturer is redefining its priorities around excellence. A move upmarket that enables it to win over a rapidly growing international clientele.

In the tableware sector, much of the traditional French distribution network, whose scope has been considerably reduced over the past fifteen years, has chosen to reorient its offering. It has turned towards more affordable products that meet the expectations of the times. As a result, independent shops have managed to reconnect with customers increasingly drawn to large mainstream chains. In this new context, high-end brands have lost their ground for expression.

“We must reinvent our distribution in France to reach customers sensitive to our distinctive offer, at the frontier of luxury,” explains Edouard Froment, head of the family-owned company CapDeco. Proof of the brand’s potential in France lies in the performance of its online store, with an average basket exceeding 300 euros. “The future of the brand in France could lie with high-end home décor boutiques and interior designers. Alternative distributors, often little-known to traditional agents, but now gaining strong momentum,” continues Edouard Froment. The next step is to identify points of sale that can truly highlight a French-made cutlery brand with such singular know-how. “To understand the rarity of our offer, one only needs to look at Paris (Maison&Objet fair, editor’s note), where there are so few of us. That is what explains our success internationally.” Today, it is foreign markets that drive the brand’s growth. China continues to show strong dynamism, as do the United States and, more recently, the Middle East. The Emirates and Russia complete the picture, with solvent clients and a growing demand for high-end products.

To meet this international demand, CapDeco is developing more luxurious collections, even offering models in genuine gold. “We design complex pieces, long to assemble, which by their very exception stand out clearly on the market,” adds the company head, who successfully multiplies the brand’s presence at international trade shows. This strategic choice also brings the advantage of protecting margins.

Quality, standards, and heritage
If CapDeco can look to the future with ambition, it is also thanks to its commitment to quality. “The know-how passed down to me by my father remains our compass,” says the young company head, who grew up in the workshops. In a complex industrial context — with historic subcontractors proving less reliable — the company remains uncompromising on finishes. This level of exacting standards is recognized by Asian partners, particularly in China and Japan, where French excellence continues to be a decisive selection criterion.

Transmission and renewal
Despite the structural difficulties of the sector, CapDeco remains optimistic. “The younger generation, more open to manual trades and sensitive to the notion of quality, could give new momentum to craftsmanship. We need to recreate a culture of exacting standards, even if it takes time,” concludes Edouard Froment.