Théodore Chastel (EDHEC 2014) takes the plunge! Having accompanied start-ups for many years, he has decided to see what it’s like on the other side and become an entrepreneur. With the aim of combining ethics and an artistic dimension, he created Snooze, the first 100% eco-responsible cereal brand.

EDHEC Alumni: Tell us about your project. How did it come about?

Théodore Chastel: French consumers want to eat better and in a way that is responsible. Snooze came about from our desire to shake up the agri-food industry in a way that reflects this demand, by attacking the most important meal of the day: breakfast. And so we created the first 100% eco-responsible brand of delicious and healthy cereals.

To do this, we simply came up with a concept for zero-plastic packaging! When you place your first order, you receive your item in a small metal box. Subsequent orders are delivered as refills in minimalistic, 100% biodegradable kraft sachets. The original touch is that our metal boxes carry illustrations made by young artists that display the colours of non-profit associations, and for each box purchased we donate €1 to the corresponding association as a way to support their work.

EA: What drives your motivation on this entrepreneurial adventure? 

TC: After spending many wonderful years accompanying young innovative start-ups at the commercial bank Clipperton, I felt it was my turn to take the plunge and set off on an entrepreneurial adventure. In particular, I was looking for an ambitious project that could have an important impact. I’ve been a granola fan ever since I was a child, and I am profoundly aware of the environmental challenges we face today, so I decided to revolutionise the breakfast with an eco-responsible concept that is both ethical and artistic.

It will be a long and bumpy road, but what motivates me most is the possibility of creating a wonderful brand. Wonderful because it is based on sincere values, wonderful because of the commitment of its community and staff teams, and wonderful because of the ethics of our suppliers and the quality of our products.

EA: How has your experience at EDHEC or with the network of graduates helped you achieve this project? 

TC: The graduate network has been a huge help in recent months. After a post on LinkedIn in which I announced the launch of this entrepreneurial adventure, many graduates got in touch to offer their help free of charge. So I very quickly had the chance to meet with graduates specialized in strategic domains such as marketing, retailing, e-commerce and production.

EA: What is your initial assessment of this entrepreneurial adventure? What advice do you have for others from EDHEC looking to become entrepreneurs?

TC: For the moment it would be difficult to make an initial assessment since the project is only getting off the ground, but one piece of advice I have for future entrepreneurs is to talk about their idea as much as possible from the very outset so they can develop it quickly.

EA: What’s next for your business? What expectations do you have from the community of EDHEC graduates?

TC: The first objective is to run a solid crowdfunding campaign on Ulule to finance our initial production. I’m still looking for a joint founder with a marketing profile, so don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’re interested in the project! I think I’ll wait a few months before starting the fundraising so I can be in a position to present a very clear and precise business plan and strategy.

More info about your business

I hope many of you will visit the Ulule web page – we need your help to get things off the ground!

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