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Donuts, sweet beer, cheese bites: French eating habits are turned upside down by marketing

This is the major trend at the international food show opening in Paris on October 19: The industry has seized on French people's supposed desire for 'pleasure' to come up with high-calorie innovations with a strong focus on fast food and snacking.

Le Monde

17 hours ago

Donuts, sweet beer, cheese bites: French eating habits are turned upside down by marketing

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By Laurence Girard
Published today at 12:51 pm (Paris), updated at 1:01 pm
3 min read
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Image: Krispy Kreme doughnuts in one of the brand's Paris stores, December 6, 2023. DIMITAR DILKOFF / AFP

"The success is beyond what we imagined." Alexandre Maizoué, head of Krispy Kreme in France, is delighted. In less than a year, he's managed to establish the American doughnut brand in Paris. 

It's true that its launch was accompanied by a major advertising campaign in the French capital. But with a carefully controlled budget, since the target consumer area was limited. 

No expensive TV spots, but billboard and social media campaigns. 

The communication strategy was updated with Barbie, Harry Potter and Halloween versions of the doughnuts boosting sales. 

As a result, Krispy Kreme, which has presented its product as the new croissant, boasts some 20 outlets and sales of almost €15 million for 2024 in Paris.

This example is proof: 

• Even though France is proud to have inscribed the French gastronomic meal on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list, the country is hungry for fast-food chains, particularly from across the Atlantic. 
• The two leading burger chains are McDonald's and Burger King, followed by chicken specialist KFC. 

But behind these pioneers, the offer continues to grow. Bubble teas, woks, poke bowls, tacos, sushi, bagels and doughnuts have joined the ranks of burgers, pizzas, kebabs and sandwiches.

The taco enthusiasts resisting the blasphemy of 'French tacos'

Marketing power
The success of fast-food chains owes much to their marketing power. 

• Their advertising campaigns are reshaping French eating habits. 
• The same is true of food manufacturers, who also hammer home their promotional messages to win over customers. 

And to launch new products. 

Every two years, the Global Food Marketplace, which opens on Saturday, October 19 in Paris, provides a showcase for innovation in the food industry and an opportunity to take a closer look at trends.
"I want to eat above all for pleasure. That's what consumers tell us first when we ask them," explained Xavier Terlet, trends and innovation expert at ProtéinesXTC.