VISCONTI Talks Podcast (VISCONTI Partners) · June 27, 2024 · Interview conducted by Hubert Reynier
In an episode of VISCONTI Talks, Hubert Reynier, founding president of VISCONTI Partners, hosts Thibault Lamarque, founder of Castalie. The discussion, centered on the role of a leader, explores the strategic development of the company: going public, choosing investors, building a team, and the business model. It sheds light on how a founder builds a mission-driven company for the long term in a market dominated by large corporations.
Key takeaways
- In 2020, a €13.5 million funding round brought four investors into Castalie equity Castalie SEB Alliance (SEB Group), Amundi Finance et Solidarité, RAISE Impact, and Ring Capital.
- SEB Alliance’s investment in Castalie brings Castalie the orbit of the SEB Group, a global leader in small household appliances (Tefal, Moulinex, Rowenta, Krups): its investment vehicle targets sustainable companies aligned with its core business, a rare industrial endorsement for a player in the microfiltered water sector. The €13.5 million funding round also includes Amundi Finance et Solidarité, RAISE Impact, and Ring Capital.
- The first major client dates back to 2015, when LVMH’s director of general services ordered several Castalie fountains, marking the shift toward working with large corporations.
- Originally named “Eau de Castalie , Castalie the company faced legal challenges in its early days in an oligopolistic market before securing the right to label its water as pure and more sustainable than bottled water.
- The company’s very name draws from the Castalie Spring, the sacred fountain of Delphi renowned in Greek mythology for the purity of its water and the inspiration it provided: originally named “Eau de Castalie , Castalie the brand was forced, following legal proceedings in its early days, to drop the article and become “Eau Castalie , Castalie while gaining the right to describe its water as purer and more sustainable than bottled water.
- Alongside Thibault Lamarque, Kévin Rancien rose through the ranks, from intern to general manager and then partner, demonstrating growth fueled by the loyalty of the teams.
- As a French pioneer in microfiltered water for professionals, Castalie to become Europeans’ favorite water brand, building on its premium product line in France, its international expansion, and a future product line for consumers.
Source: VISCONTI Talks, VISCONTI Partners, June 27, 2024 — interview conducted by Hubert Reynier. Listen to the original episode
