Since its foundation, Grain de Sail is engaged in a process of sustainable development aiming at balancing the company’s environmental, social and economic performances. This approach is both pragmatic and realistic. It implies that any decision that goes against our philosophy of sustainable development will be rejected. We are constantly arbitrating and optimizing our activities. On one hand, we are willing to undertake bold decisions even when it implies higher costs (i.e., with our sailing boat). On the other hand, we accept that not everything is achievable, especially simultaneously. Ambitious projects must sometimes be sequenced in different steps. We impose on ourselves transparency and objectivity in our process by identifying everything we have done and what remains to be implemented. This roadmap is a decisive tool that allows us to evaluate our progress so far and foresee improvement opportunities.
TASTE
In our hearts we are all gourmets and we try to convey the passion that drives us for “good” taste. From the choice and selection of our raw ingredients to the processing and the development of our recipes: we leave nothing to chance to ensure the best possible taste for our consumers. No product leaves our workshops without being tested and validated by our teams.
ADVENTURE
The thrill for adventure runs through our veins. Such as always going further, pushing our limits, continuously looking for new challenges. That’s why we never artificially impose any restrictions upon ourselves. With the same energy and the same enthusiasm, we will continue to reach higher and build new cargo sailboats, new chocolate and coffee making facilities in an even more responsible and ecological way while always trying to improve!
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The pillars of an approach for sustainable development are reducing the impact on the planet; social well-being and equity; economic sustainability and job maintenance. At Grain de Sail, we are keenly aware of all these aspects.
The cargo sailboat is a strong symbol of our philosophy towards the respect for nature. Our partnerships to provide work and promote the integration of the disabled are one of the foundations of our social approach as well as the fair remuneration of our suppliers (especially the farmers in Latin America). Every day, Grain de Sail tries to maintain the environmental, social and financial balance to continue to demonstrate that a company can be more virtuous.
WHAT WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED
2013
- 95% of our coffees are organic
- Employment of 15 disabled workers
- Salary Gap not higher than 1/3 within the company
2016
- 100% of our chocolate bars are organic
- Creation of 50 steady jobs in Morlaix
- Implementation of a local business partners policy
2018
- We’ve finally reached a sufficient turnover to launch the building of our Cargo Sailboat and new chocolate factory
2020
- Our first Transatlantic trip from France to NYC to the Dominican Republic and back to France with our Cargo Sailboat
2021
- Opening of our brand new chocolate carbon-passive factory
- Employees can now become shareholders of the company
2023
The creation of a logistics subsidiary for import / export
Established in May 2023 in Saint-Malo, Grain de Sail Logistics is the first freight forwarder specializing in a decarbonized maritime supply chain.
GDS L combines the roles of shipowner, shipping company, freight forwarder, logistician, and goods transporter. This unique model offers a highly decarbonized, comprehensive solution integrated into an existing supply chain. We manage all stages of transportation for our clients, utilizing our sail-powered maritime transport solution that serves Europe and the Americas.
Step 6
2024
The adventure continues with a second cargo sailboat, Grain de Sail II
Following the successful launch of our first cargo sailboat, Grain de Sail I, we decided to expand our fleet by building a second cargo sailboat, twice as large. In August 2022, we began construction on this new vessel.
After 17 months of meticulous construction and fine-tuning, this second sailboat set sail for the first time on March 15, 2024, heading to New York.
WHAT WE’RE GONNA DO
2022
- Shipping of humanitarian supplies from NYC to the Dominican Republic
- Launch of our own fair-trade process towards our producers
2023
- Improvement of the recyclability of our packaging
- Importation of Carbon-neutral Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2024
- Launch of our second Cargo Sailboat: twice the length and ten times more loading capacity.
- Building of a second Chocolate Factory in Dunkirk
- Carbon neutral imports of organic rums from the French Antilles
