Hospitality Insiders Video Podcast — Episode 83 · June 27, 2024 · Interview conducted by Maxime Blot
In Episode 83 of his podcast *Hospitality Insiders*, Maxime Blot, a *Meilleur Ouvrier de France* award winner, hosts Thibault Lamarque, founder of Castalie. Beyond the company’s history, the conversation delves into the technical expertise of filtration, the quality standards that set Castalie apart Castalie its competitors, and its founder’s vision on water, health, and sustainability. It sheds light on how a microfiltered water solution is becoming a staple at the finest establishments in the hospitality and restaurant industry.
Key takeaways
- Castalie iconic venues such as the Molitor, Le George restaurant at the Four Seasons George V, the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay, Les Roches Blanches in Cassis, Le Barn, and the Okko Hotels, where fountains are installed on every floor.
- Castalie more than 3,000 customers and over 100 employees; it installed its first 3,000 water fountains over the course of eleven years, followed by an additional 3,000 in just two years (2024).
- Castalie approximately 1,300 to 1,500 premium hotels and restaurants (4- and 5-star, Michelin-starred establishments), a segment that accounts for nearly 20% of its revenue.
- Castalie three to four filter changes per year, whereas some competitors offer only one, and maintains a premium positioning rather than compromising on quality to win a bid.
- Thibault Lamarque warns against companies that promise to filter “99.9% of everything”: perfectly pure water does not exist, and the actual quality depends on the type of activated carbon and membrane used.
- Castalie on a life-cycle analysis conducted in collaboration with the consulting firm Quantis using 16 criteria, and is being rolled out in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg.
- Thibault Lamarque points out that 16 billion single-use bottles are sold in France each year, and cites the AGEC law, which aims to cut that number in half by 2030 and phase out single-use plastic by 2040.
- Thibault Lamarque, founder of the podcast *La Relève* and author of *L’humanité a soif et les baleines boivent la tasse*, advocates for a chosen—rather than imposed—simplicity in the hospitality industry.
Source: Hospitality Insiders, Episode 83, June 27, 2024 — interview conducted by Maxime Blot. Watch the original episode
