Don't you dare call him "boss"! Olivier Leberquier is the proud and distinguished President of Scop-Ti, Provençal Workers' Cooperative for Teas and Herbal Teas based in Gémenos (13). As its name suggests, the company has adopted a democratic organizational structure, while embracing a social and solidarity-based economic approach. And if that name rings a bell, it’s probably because you’ve heard of the Fralib battle—a protracted labor struggle that lasted 1,336 days…
The project's origins, passion for the product, collaboration with LHG : Check out our interview with a satisfied member.
How did Scop-Ti get started?
It all started with Fralib, a company based in Gemenos that is owned by the multinational Unilever. At the time, it comprised three other entities located elsewhere in France:
- Le Havre for Tea (Lipton)
- Marseille for herbal teas (Elephant)
- Poitiers for dehydrated soups (Royco)
In 1989, the Marseille plant was closed, and operations moved to Géménos. In 1998, the Le Havre plant suffered the same fate. Géménos then became Unilever’s European tea and herbal tea plant. And in 2001, with the closure of the Poitiers plant, Fralib operated only this site. The group announced plans to relocate production to Katowice, Poland, in 2010.
We quickly mobilized to ensure the factory wouldn’t close by proposing an alternative. In early January 2011, we therefore presented a document titled «Toward an Alternative Solution to the Closure.» It laid the groundwork for the economic measures needed to maintain operations in Gémenos, focusing in particular on the packaging of aromatic and medicinal plants. The proposed approaches: short supply chains and high-quality products.
The conflict lasted from 2010 to 2014. Eventually, we reclaimed the industrial facilities for a symbolic 1 euro and established a worker-owned cooperative (SCOP), while the Marseille Urban Community exercised its right of first refusal on the buildings so it could lease them to us. Unilever provided 2.8 million euros to get the new organization off the ground, as well as severance pay and compensation for damages to the 76 employees who fought until the very end. A portion of this was contributed to the SCOP’s capital; the cooperative was officially established on August 5, 2014, with a budget of 3 million euros and 58 members.
What is 1336, and how did you develop this brand?
When we emerged from the conflict in 2014, everything had to be rebuilt. We had the industrial infrastructure and knew how to make it work. However, for the marketing and sales aspects, we had to find outside resources. We quickly began working with a freelance designer, Romain Gicquiaux, who had visited us and supported us during the conflict. So we asked him to put together a team to create a brand.
It will be 1336, in reference to the 1,336 days of social struggle. We wanted a name that would reflect our struggle, without being divisive, because we also hoped to be carried by major retailers. If it were up to us, we would have put a large image of Che’s face and a raised fist on a red box!
For the first three years, everything went fairly well. But without the financial resources to advertise, business began to stagnate. So we had to incorporate market trends into our packaging and expand our product line. We now offer bulk products, and the « 1,336 bio », all of whose raw materials come from France. In total, we currently offer 50 products.
You launched Scop-Ti six years ago, positioning the company as a provider of sustainable products. What concrete achievements have you made?
During the labor struggle, one of our goals was to propose an economic and industrial model that differed from Unilever’s. Our long experience has allowed us to observe the evolution and decline in product quality. I began my career in 1981 at the Le Havre plant, and I can assure you that the products we made were of high quality. Everything was made in-house and using natural ingredients. But the model changed in the late 1990s with the introduction of chemical flavorings and the importation of pre-mixed herbal blends.
With Scop-Ti and 1336, the focus is on respecting the product and the workers. We also wanted to revitalize France’s struggling aromatic and medicinal plant industry. The best example to illustrate this is the Baronnies linden tree. We work directly with growers in the Drôme region. The product is grown, harvested, dried, and cut on-site. In the 1970s, manufacturers used aromatic plants from local French regions. The linden industry accounted for between 450 and 500 metric tons of harvest per year. Today, everything is imported from Latin America, causing French production to plummet to 10 to 15 metric tons due to a lack of markets. The same is true for verbena, lemon balm, chamomile, and mint—all plants that grow in our regions. We have put into practice what we advocated for back in the days of Fralib.
Specialists in herbs and medicinal plants since 1943, LHG offers a wide selection of teas and herbal infusions—including an organic line—packaged to meet the needs of professionals and retailers. LHG operates in a manner that respects both people and the environment. Our goal is to offer materials that are always authentic, high-quality, and 100% natural.
What is your relationship with your LHG supplier?
I had the opportunity to meet with LHG in 2012. At the time, the company was looking for a new location to set up its operations. For a while, we considered pooling our production resources, but unfortunately, we were in the midst of a labor dispute, which prevented the plan from moving forward. But of course, when it came time to find suppliers for 1336, we reached out to them.
Which of your products use LHG aromatic herbs?
Among our products, orange green tea, double mint green tea, Grand Yunnan black tea, organic Darjeeling, and lemon black tea all come from LHG. They’re right next door in Aubagne, and we appreciate the proximity—it really helps! Today, our main business is packaging. That’s why we need high-quality raw materials and that we work with LHG. But we would like to bring the blending and processing operations back in-house in the near future.
Check out all 1336 products on their online store, and download our catalog to discover our range of teas and herbal teas tailored to the needs of professionals and retailers. You’ll find iconic and almost historic teas such as Ceylon black tea «Orange Pekoe»—a grade that guarantees the fineness of the harvest—or flavored teas (lemon, jasmine, rose, mint…). We also offer black and green teas, loose-leaf white tea, and a delicious cocoa-vanilla rooibos. And let’s not forget Brazilian mate.
