Dedicated mainly to production, MANE’s two sites in Quéven, Brittany are recognised across the Group for their expertise.
In 1998, when Jean Mane was looking for somewhere to develop his savoury flavourings business, his search took him to a factory in Quéven, Brittany, just a few kilometres from the port town of Lorient. The facility, which had mainly been producing seafood extracts, fitted the bill perfectly. Being so close to France’s largest fishing port and fish markets provided a strategically important source of supplies.
Today, the facility’s products go far beyond seafood, covering a wide range of savoury flavourings, while a workshop produces sweet flavours. It also houses an R&D department specialised in creating both meat and plant-based extracts, ingredients and meal preparations. Just a few hundred metres away, another unit was purchased in 2014 to produce fragrances for laundry products using extrusion technology.
Taken together, the facilities at MANE Quéven serve the following segments:
Industrial fragrances:
- laundry products.
Sweet flavourings:
- hot drinks (teas and other infusions)
- confectionery.
Savoury flavourings:
- restaurants and away-from-home catering
- meat, charcuterie and salted products
- ready meals and tinned food
- snacks and seasoning
- surimi
- soups, sauces, marinades and dressings
- pet food.
A mastery of technologies
“The industrial facilities at Quéven are like a Swiss knife for the MANE Group,” says Loick Callens, Industrial Director at Quéven. “We are the cornerstone for other factories in the EMEA region, because we produce core flavourings for them.” In product terms, MANE Quéven manufactures natural extracts and flavourings in liquid, paste, powder and extruded form for clients and other business within the Group. Annual production reaches no fewer than 4,600 tonnes, a feat achieved using a range of different technologies:
- spray drying
- liquid and powder mixing processes
- flavours created by reactions (Maillard), cooking and extrusion
- extraction by natural cooking or the use of aqueous enzymes (vegetables, plants, seafood by-products, meat by-products)
- industrial fragrances produced by extrusion.
Certifications and action on the environment
Both sites are approved for specific labelling regimes, such as organic, halal, kosher, and MSC (Marine Stewardship Council, guaranteeing sustainable fishing), while also complying with Group-wide certification standards:
- ISO 14001, an environmental management system focused on reducing energy intensity;
- ISO 50001, which aims to improve energy performance;
- BRCGS (British Retail Consortium Global Standards), a prerequisite to export to the United Kingdom, protecting British consumers and setting high standards of food safety;
- GEEIS (Gender Equality European and International Standard), which promotes gender equality in the workplace;
- SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit), an ethical audit methodology that encompasses all aspects of responsible business practice.
To remain competitive, major investments have been made in the original site for more than 20 years and in the second facility since its acquisition. Production areas have been expanded, manufacturing and quality standards have been enhanced, and the ISO management systems have reduced the environmental impacts of the sites. For the latter, LED lighting has been installed at both sites and biofilters are used to treat gas emissions released into the atmosphere. Outside, solar panels have been attached to sun shields in the car park areas.
A strong sense of belonging
Alongside all the investment and technology, MANE Quéven’s greatest asset is the people who work there. A total of 110 employees are based at the two sites, mostly in production, with the remainder in support services such as purchasing and quality control. “We hire people who are very familiar with food hygiene procedures and who know the importance of following a recipe,” says Loick Callens. “They often have a background in food and catering, and might have previously trained as a baker, a pastry cook, or a charcutier… We bring them onboard and then train them in the various roles we have here.”
“I like to tell people that we have the working atmosphere of a small family firm, but the financial resources and power of a multinational company,” adds Loick Callens, who has been with MANE for more than 20 years. “Some of our people have been working together for many years and that creates a real sense of belonging to the Company. And, as the Mane family have shown with their own example, it’s a company that cares for its employees. For me, the work and the value that people attach to it are one of the Group’s great strengths.”