Sauce in a Packet: Recipe as Retail Product

“Now, a short time after this unsuccessful attempt, a young man shows up at the company offices. He wants to meet with Mr. Léger. No problem. At St-Hubert, he is well known since he is Raymond Berthelet, one of the regular suppliers of the company. This entrepreneur, along with his brother Yves, manufactures a chicken soup base that he distributes throughout Quebec. He delivers his goods to the rotisseries every week. This time, however, the purpose of his visit is different. The meteoric success of his client has given him a good idea, a golden idea. Why not dehydrate the famous sauce and sell it in supermarkets? The popularity of St-Hubert would guarantee the product’s success. The businessman has already mentioned the idea to the rotisserie owner. The Berthelets and the Légers could even launch a joint venture on equal terms. Although skeptical, René welcomes the businessman with his customary courtesy. But the objections soon start flying.”

“In the kitchens, it changes everything. Employees will now be able to focus on other tasks and thereby further improve the quality of service. But the adventure doesn’t stop there. In 1965, packets of dehydrated sauce bearing the image of the famous rooster appear in grocery stores and supermarkets. At 29 cents apiece, the little yellow packets fly off the shelves… like hotcakes. In addition to having made the cooks’ job at St-Hubert easier, the new sauce opened the door to new business opportunities. Its overwhelming success would lead the partners to market other sauce packets, broths, soups, as well as frozen products.”