The beginning
Grain de Sail was founded in 2010 in Brittany (Morlaix) by twin brothers who are experts in renewable energy. At that time, they shared the same bold vision: to select, produce and sell great gastronomic products to cross-Atlantic consumers using the world’s first modern cargo sailboat
Step 1
Coffee making and chocolate confectionning
We opened our first coffee roasting facility in 2013, followed by a chocolate factory in 2016 with the ultimate goal of getting our cargo sailboat ready for 2020
Step 2
Cargo sailboat construction
In October 2018, Grain de Sail launched the construction of the first transatlantic cargo sailboat slated for completion in the beginning of 2020 for the maiden voyage in spring of the same year.
Step 3
Wine export
While the initial project was to import organic cocoa and coffee from Central America and the Caribbean to France, we first have to cross the Atlantic from France. This is why, in 2016, we decided to bring wines over and to launch Grain de Sail Wines, making our cargo sailboat the first ever-purpose built floating wine cellar.
Step 4
Coffee and cocoa import
After a stop in New York City, our vessel sails down to Central America to load up on organic coffee and cocoa before returning home to Brittany, where Grain de Sail continues to roast the coffees and produce fine chocolates
Step 5
And after ?
The Grain de Sail DNA is to always look ahead…
Thus, after coffee, chocolate and wines we are looking to even more ambitious projects. Yes, because one cargo sailboat is not enough! Our ambition is to build a full fleet of vessels to pursue our search of high-quality products within our maritime, human, and environmental adventure.
Our cross-Atlantic voyages
On the first leg of the voyage, Grain de Sail ships specially selected organic and biodynamic French wines to New York City. Then, our vessel sails down to Central America to load up on organic coffee and cocoa beans before returning home to Brittany, where Grain de Sail roasts the coffees and produce fine chocolates. The round trips take around 3 months to complete and occur twice a year, in the Spring and in the Fall.
Taste
Everything we do would be meaningless if consumers did not like our products. Taste and quality are the first priorities for us. Since our cargo sailboat has limited space, we carefully select our ingredients and work hard to deliver only the best products.
Adventure(s)
We believe in tackling the impossible. Grain de Sail is both an adventure and a business that brings together people around the same values. We challenge the status quo and push the boundaries for better solutions.
Substainable Development
Simply put, Grain de Sail® wants to couple sustainable seafaring and great organic gastronomic products. By selecting only products organically farmed and transporting them by cargo sailboat, we try to have the lowest carbon footprint possible.
Our Promise Label
As it’s important for us that, when taking part of the adventure, you can be sure to have great wines, from amazing winemakers working their vineyard in the most sustainable way, and obviously coming to you thanks to our own Cargo Sailboat, we have developed our own label.
Our destination : New York City
To our minds, the Big Apple represents « the American dream ». After all, this is the country where everything is possible. And if it is possible in New York, it is possible everywhere… Isn’t it? New York City is ideally located since it is on the way to Central America, where we stock up on chocolates and coffee before returning to France. This creates a virtuous circle between the Old Continent and the New.