Lefèvre-Utile

Lefèvre Utile, better known under the abbreviation LU, is the name of a 1846 founded in Nantes since 2007 and belonging to Kraft Foods French company in the food industry.

History

Jean -Romain Lefèvre opened in 1846 in Nantes, a small pastry shop on the Rue Boileau No. 5 The success of his biscuits, made the small company known. The marriage with the enterprising Pauline -Isabelle Utile led to the renaming in Pâtisserie Lefèvre Utile. 1854, the operation was extended for the first time and the place of purchase architecturally designed luxurious, the sale attention was paid to hygiene.

1882, Louis Lefèvre -Utile, the son by the late founder, the management of the company and developed it for mechanized large-scale operation. In 1885 he erected on the quay Baco a biscuit factory with a steam engine. There were 130 workers are employed on 2000 square meters. Soon, in 1886 created Shortbread Petit- Beurre accounted for two-thirds of production. The entrepreneur was based on British models such as T. & T. Vicars. A major fire on May 4, 1888 did not affect the rise of the company.

Louis Lefèvre -Utile placed great emphasis on efficient advertising: So found current political events such as state visits, Louis Blériot's flight channel etc. echoed in special products. At the Paris World Exposition in 1900 and widely visible LU Pavilion excited with its 36-meter high lighthouse sensation, the work of architect Auguste Bluysen. The top of the tower was designed by one of the then usual LU biscuit tins. Similarly, the architect also designed the twin towers of the factory.

Even after the First World War, the biscuit factory remained a family business. Louis Lefèvre -Utile, however, protested in vain against the filling in of lying before its sophisticated design factory arm of the Loire and the use of the land by the railway. As a result, his son Michel Lefèvre -Utile took over more and more leadership roles. His son and successor Patrick Lefèvre -Utile decided to devote himself to the export business, but soon found himself forced to take on the highly competitive market alliances.

In 1968, six companies of the industry banded together under the name of LU -Brun & Associés. The President of that group was Patrick Lefèvre -Utile, but over time the family lost their decisive influence on LU. Now in quick succession, there were cross-border mergers. Générale Biscuit, introduced on the stock exchange in 1978, was a conglomerate of 32 companies and held the third in the industry behind Nabisco and United Biscuits. 1986 built Générale Biscuit a new, ultra-modern factory in La Haie- Fouassière. The factory in Nantes had retired in 1989. This was followed by turbulent years under the dominance of Danone and finally the purchase by the American company Kraft Foods.

The more patriarchal tradition of the former family business has been replaced by sharp focus on maximum efficiency, which also led to social tensions.

Cultural Significance

Among the artists who worked for LU, were Alfons Mucha, Firmin Bouisset, Capiello, Luigi Loir and, more recently, Folon, Desclozeaux, Raymond Savignac.

Alfons Mucha, advertising poster, 1896.

Wall advertisement for LU in Trentemoult.

Centrally located in the castle nearby factory was once a symbol of Nantes. This architectural ensemble is now largely destroyed.