INSIDE THE BOX: LE BON GARCON

 

What is the name of your company? 

Le Bon Garçon

When was the company founded? 

2010

 

Tell us the story of how you brought your company to life. 

I was training in pastry in Paris, where I discovered amazing caramels. They were so tender and smooth, unlike anything I’d had before, and I became fascinated with them. When I returned, I reverse engineered the recipe from what I had learned watching the chefs in Paris. Once I had a recipe I was happy with, I started playing around with different flavors, and just never stopped. 

How did you feel after it launched? 

I don’t remember feeling especially excited or nervous, at first. We actually had a very quiet, slow launch originally, at the time I was just making batches from my kitchen at home for friends and family. It wasn’t until I realized that this could be more than a fun side hustle that I really felt the nerves set in!

Where do you draw your packaging design inspiration from? 

I was inspired by my Popo’s collection of 1950s Chinese porcelain. We worked with artist Rob Sato to render these familiar porcelain patterns in hand-painted watercolor. 

 

Why was it important to you to create an “out and proud” LGBTQ+ company? 

When my son was born, it really changed my perspective on how important it was to be proud of who you are. Of course I wanted my son to be proud of himself, and it made me consider how often I was leading by example and celebrating my own identity. When making decisions about our recent re-brand, I made it a point to reference queer and AAPI culture as often as possible.

 

Was there a defining moment in your company’s history (so far) when you knew you created something special?

Fairly early on, we were featured in Oprah’s Favorite Things, and that was a huge turning point! It really proved that other people tasted the difference that I did in our caramels. 

What has been the reaction of customers to your brand?

Thankfully it’s been really positive! Our new packaging pushes such a nostalgic button for a lot of people, they just light up when they see it, and then watching them melt when they taste the caramel itself is so rewarding. 

Any special customer stories that you want to share? 

Back when we had a brick-and-mortar store, a young man came in who had forgotten to get souvenirs for his friends during his recent trip to Paris, and needed us to falsify some “authentic French” gifts for him. We gave him several flavors in bulk bags, and wrote the names of the flavors in French instead of English. Hopefully none of his friends are reading this now!

At Fruitloots, we call all the amazing products that we find our “loot”. What's a favorite piece of “loot” you have created?

It’s hard to pick just one, but our Pineapple Li Hing caramel is my personal favorite. Plus, it comes in our bright yellow floral box, which might be my favorite out of our new boxes. 

Tell us about the Fruitloots product(s) that we have chosen. 

You went with our P.O.G. Caramels, which is such a fun choice! P.O.G. stands for passionfruit, orange, and guava, and savvy readers may already be familiar with P.O.G. juice. There’s actually a really interesting history behind P.O.G. juice and pog chips, but in the interest of sparing you from a lengthy deep dive into 90’s fads, we’ll just say we’ve really enjoyed referencing the P.O.G. legacy! 

Where do you see your company in 10 years?

I see us expanding into new confections. Caramel is a wonderful vehicle for many different flavors, but there are definitely some that don’t work, and I’d like to revisit them in a new way at some point. 

If you could do a special collaboration with any person in the world who would it be and why?

I’d really love to collaborate with Phoenix Bakery someday. They’re such an iconic part of LA’s Chinatown!

Any advice to queer entrepreneurs? 

My advice would be to embrace what makes you unique, and let that guide your business decisions. There’s this misconception that creating a product with mass-appeal is the key to a successful business, but I’ve found that people respond to authenticity with far more enthusiasm. Pleasing everyone is an impossible task regardless of how much you water yourself down, so why bother? It’s infinitely more rewarding on a personal level to create something that’s special to you. 

If you could throw a party, with an unlimited budget and you could invite anyone, tell us about the party and who would be there! 

I think I’d book somewhere completely over the top, something absurdly fancy like the Hercules Room at the Palace of Versailles, and just throw a fantastic feast for my family. I could fly my whole extended family out first class, and have it catered with all our favorite comfort food for us to enjoy while we appreciate the art. And of course, we’d have to bring back our caramel fountains for the occasion!

Last question - If you could be any fruit, what would it be and why?

I’m going to say a peach. I may be soft and sweet on the outside, but I’ve got a strong, resilient core! 

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All photos courtesy of LE BON GARCON