Mon Village: a new brand continuing a living tradition!
The MON VILLAGE brand represents an act of remembrance. It recalls the morning in August 1991 when Paul-André Cornu, at that time the owner of Cornu SA, and thus of the De Champagne trademark, was required by the powerful Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), in France, to remove the name of his village from all the products that had, after all, been produced there for decades. The arbitrary intimidation by the CIVC and its heavy politico-legal machinery, however, came up against the determined resistance of this family business. The Swiss government even produced a legal opinion in favour of Cornu SA. Alas! A few years later, the company found itself under a new attack. Engaged in bilateral negotiations with the EU, the Swiss Confederation abandoned the cause that it had supported. The CIVC fired up its war machine once again and squared up against the fine bakery, now standing alone against it. After more than ten years of a hard-fought and unequal battle, Cornu SA managed to hold onto the right to mention its location on its products and decided to forge ahead with changes to its brand. These developments have also come with an unexpected moral victory: the firm stance of the family business and the persistence of the village of Champagne has today earned them an extraordinary reputation and immense sympathy.
The MON VILLAGE brand is a tribute. It is a celebration of the village of Champagne, of its courageous inhabitants and of all the innumerable supporters, the famous and not-so-famous among them, who have stood with it in its struggle. Never, perhaps, has such a small community had to stand together to defend its identity and its local products; certainly a small village
had never before received so much interest and popularity. When the villagers of Champagne, damaged by the arrogant extreme stance of the CIVC, increased their acts of resistance to the extent of symbolically renaming their village, their rebellion was covered by the media around the world and messages of support and respect arrived from everywhere. Today Champagne bears its centuries-old name with pride, not only within its boundaries, but also, far more visibly than before, on all the roads that lead to it. There are more visitors than ever, particularly from France, and they always receive a friendly welcome.
The MON VILLAGE brand forges a new alliance. The descendants of André and Paul-André Cornu have today brought the resounding message from the villagers of Champagne to other villages with a similar attachment to the taste for authenticity, generous with their expertise and proud of their origins. The brand now brings together other villages besides Champagne, linked by a common interest in valuing the source of their products and by a shared love for quality and tradition. The fruitful alliance of these villages affirms the identity of the brand and perpetuates the change to the De Champagne name, which can now pass into History with dignity.
High-quality ingredients
The members of the Cornu family pay particular attention to selecting the raw materials used in manufacturing products of the “Mon Village” brand, such as butter, salt or sesame. The task of validating purchases of raw materials is theirs alone and they thus bear this responsibility.
The quality of the raw materials, as well as health and safety conditions, are controlled meticulously. The family company follows a specialist methodology, required by the International Food Standard (IFS) and British Retail Consortium (BRC) food standards.
Over the years, Cornu SA has been able to surround itself with the best suppliers. The confidence and loyalty that are established, along with the knowledge of the requirements of the family company guarantee the quality of the products.
RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS
Its main actions are:
Recovering energy from ovens to produce hot water and to heat the factorie | |
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Installation of plants on the roof to optimize thermal insulation and water retention without using pollutants | |
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Recycling of all paper and cardboard waste resulting from the administration and production activities | |
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Setting up of many systems used for maximum prevention of waste of raw materials throughout the production line | |
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Our distribution network
Germany
Belgium
China
France
Greece
Netherland
Hong Kong
Italy
Japan
Malaysia
Poland
Romania
Russia
Slovakia
Switzerland
Turkey
UK
One family inspired to serve the art of baking
In 1934, André Cornu opened an artisanal bakery, whose products were met with immediate appreciation in the village of Champagne in Vaud and the surrounding region. After the Second World War, many bakeries were forced to close, broken by economic difficulties. André Cornu understood the need to offer products that stand out. He came up with “Champagne Flutes”.
Authenticity and quality: a gamble that paid off for Cornu SA
These “flutes” were very successful throughout the region and the little laboratory was no longer large enough to fulfil all the orders received. In 1962, with help from his father André, Paul-André Cornu built his first factory in the middle of the village of Champagne. Thus he founded the company Cornu SA and was able to market his products throughout Switzerland. In order to offer a high-quality product, he invested in equipment that would exactly copy the expertise of the artisan bakers. The authentic flavours of the “Champagne Flutes” were destined to be enjoyed far beyond its borders.
A company that is passionate about quality
During the 90s, two new factories were built at Fontain, in France, where the selection of ingredients available and the expertise of the bakers met the quality requirements of the company. The most modern of technologies are used to respect the authenticity of the products and to offer natural, crunchy and flavoursome products.
Now headed by Marc-André Cornu, grandson of the founder, Cornu SA continues to defend the same objectives: products made of 100% natural ingredients, with constant quality and authentic flavours. The company, with its head office already installed in the charming village of Champagne, thus perpetuates a secret: a gentle mixture of tradition and innovation, the values on which the “Mon Village” brand is built.
Paul-André Cornu