Krampouz

Krampouz is a French cooking-equipment brand founded in 1949 in Pouldreuzic, Brittany, by electrician Jean-Marie Bosser. The company developed from an early cast-iron electric crêpe griddle made experimentally in 1945 and became associated with the specialized equipment used to prepare crêpes in professional and domestic settings. Its name comes from the Breton word “krampouezh,” meaning crêpe, reflecting the company’s regional origins and its central product category. The business initially concentrated on professional electric crêpe makers and established a strong position in that market. It later expanded into gas-powered professional crêpe makers and electric models for household use. After Jean-Marie Bosser left the company, his son Michel assumed responsibility and helped broaden the business. Krampouz moved to a facility in Pluguffan in 2001, providing a larger base for manufacturing and operations. Beyond crêpe equipment, Krampouz developed a wider portfolio of commercial and household cooking appliances. Its range includes waffle makers, panini grills, griddles marketed as planchas, and related carts and accessories. The company also obtained the trademark of a Belgian waffle-maker manufacturer near the end of the twentieth century, then redesigned the product line around its own manufacturing and engineering standards. One notable innovation was the patented Easy Clean System, which allows waffle irons to be detached from the appliance for cleaning. The company subsequently applied a similar cleaning-oriented approach to some panini machines. Krampouz added planchas to both its residential and professional ranges during the mid-2000s, extending the brand from a specialist crêpe-equipment maker into a broader supplier of countertop and food-service cooking appliances. Serge Kergoat became chief executive in 2006, after which the company pursued a strategy of strengthening its presence outside France. By 2013, the company reported turnover of €12.3 million and sold through approximately 200 distributors in more than 150 countries. The financial figure is historical and should not be treated as a current revenue measure. At the end of the 2010s, Krampouz was acquired by Groupe SEB, the French small-appliance group. The acquisition placed the Breton manufacturer within a larger international house of appliance brands while preserving Krampouz’s identity around professional-grade cooking equipment, French manufacturing heritage, and crêpe expertise. Krampouz remains principally identified with durable electric and gas crêpe makers, while its broader offer serves restaurants, caterers, hospitality businesses, specialty food vendors, and home cooks.

Krampouz traces its origins to Brittany, where electrician Jean-Marie Bosser experimented with a cast-iron electric crêpe griddle in 1945. The project was initially made for a friend, but the appliance’s potential led Bosser to establish a dedicated manufacturing business in 1949 in Pouldreuzic. The company’s name is derived from the Breton term “krampouezh,” meaning crêpe, and its regional identity has remained closely connected to its product specialization. The first major phase of Krampouz’s development centered on professional electric crêpe makers. These appliances gave restaurants, caterers, and food vendors a purpose-built alternative to improvised cooking equipment. The company became a leading manufacturer in this specialized field and later introduced professional gas models as well as electric crêpe makers intended for household use. This created a portfolio spanning commercial and domestic customers while retaining crêpe preparation as the brand’s core expertise. Following Jean-Marie Bosser’s departure, his son Michel took over the business. Under his leadership, Krampouz expanded its operations and relocated in 2001 to a 3,000-square-metre facility in Pluguffan. The move provided a larger industrial base for a company that was moving beyond a single appliance category. Near the end of the twentieth century, Krampouz acquired the trademark of a Belgian waffle-maker manufacturer. It introduced a cast-iron waffle-maker range and subsequently redesigned the products through its own development and manufacturing work. The redesigned appliances incorporated the patented Easy Clean System, which allows the irons to be removed from the machine for cleaning. This feature became an example of Krampouz’s emphasis on practical food-service maintenance. The company later extended Easy Clean-related development to panini equipment and added carts to its commercial offer. During the mid-2000s, Krampouz introduced planchas, or griddles, to both its residential and professional ranges. This expansion positioned the company as a broader cooking-equipment supplier rather than solely a crêpe-maker specialist. Serge Kergoat became chief executive in 2006, and the company adopted a strategy aimed at increasing its international presence. By 2013, Krampouz stated that its products were distributed by approximately 200 distributors in more than 150 countries and reported turnover of €12.3 million for that year. At the end of the 2010s, Groupe SEB acquired Krampouz. The transaction connected the Breton manufacturer to a major French appliance group with a global commercial footprint. Krampouz’s historical brand identity, however, remains rooted in professional cooking equipment, French and Breton manufacturing heritage, and crêpe expertise. Its current portfolio is understood through that combination of specialist food-service products and related appliances for domestic use.

• 2019

  Acquisition by Groupe SEB

  [1]Krampouzen.wikipedia.org

  Groupe SEB acquired Krampouz, adding the specialist cooking-equipment manufacturer to its brand portfolio.

• 2013

  International distribution reaches more than 150 countries

  [1]Krampouzen.wikipedia.org

  Krampouz reported €12.3 million in turnover and sales through around 200 distributors in more than 150 countries.

• 2006

  International expansion strategy

  [1]Krampouzen.wikipedia.org

  Serge Kergoat became chief executive and Krampouz pursued a strategy focused on increasing its presence in foreign markets.

• 2001

  Relocation to Pluguffan

  [1]Krampouzen.wikipedia.org

  The company relocated to a 3,000-square-metre facility in Pluguffan as its operations expanded.

• 1949

  Krampouz is founded

  [1]Krampouzen.wikipedia.org

  Jean-Marie Bosser founded Krampouz in Pouldreuzic, Brittany, initially focusing on professional electric crêpe makers.

• 1945

  First experimental electric crêpe griddle

  [1]Krampouzen.wikipedia.org

  Jean-Marie Bosser developed an experimental cast-iron electric crêpe griddle for a friend, providing the technical starting point for the later company.

Premium and professional-oriented cooking equipment combining French manufacturing heritage, durability, specialized food-service performance, and selected domestic appliances.

• Commercial cooking equipment · 1949

  Professional electric crêpe makers

  Krampouz’s original core line consists of electric crêpe makers designed for professional food-service use. The appliances use cast-iron cooking surfaces and are intended for repeated preparation in restaurants, catering operations, hospitality venues, and specialty food businesses. The range established the company’s reputation and remains the clearest expression of its specialist positioning.

• Commercial cooking equipment

  Professional gas crêpe makers

  The company later added gas-powered professional crêpe makers to complement its electric equipment. These products extend Krampouz’s offer to food-service environments where gas operation, mobility, or available electrical infrastructure may influence equipment selection. They form part of the brand’s broader professional crêpe-making range.

• Small kitchen appliances

  Domestic electric crêpe makers

  Krampouz’s domestic electric crêpe makers adapt the company’s specialist know-how for household kitchens. They extend the brand beyond commercial users while retaining the visual and functional association with Breton crêpe preparation. The domestic range supports home cooking and entertaining use cases.

• Small kitchen appliances

  Waffle makers

  After acquiring the trademark of a Belgian waffle-maker manufacturer, Krampouz introduced and later redesigned a range of cast-iron waffle makers. The products incorporated the patented Easy Clean System, which permits the irons to be detached from the machine for cleaning. The line serves both professional and wider cooking-equipment markets.

• Commercial cooking equipment

  Panini grills

  Panini grills broaden Krampouz’s commercial offer into hot sandwich preparation. The company developed Easy Clean features for panini equipment as part of its emphasis on practical maintenance and cleaning. These appliances complement crêpe makers and planchas in cafés, restaurants, catering operations, and other food-service environments.

• Griddles

  Planchas and griddles

  Introduced to residential and professional ranges during the mid-2000s, Krampouz planchas are griddle-style cooking appliances that extend the brand’s capabilities beyond crêpes and waffles. They are designed for direct-surface cooking and form part of the company’s strategy to serve both home users and commercial kitchens.

• 2019

  Acquisition by Groupe SEBM&A

  Background

  Krampouz had developed from a specialist Breton manufacturer into an international supplier of professional and domestic cooking equipment.

  Action taken

  Groupe SEB acquired the company at the end of the 2010s.

  Aftermath

  Krampouz became part of Groupe SEB’s wider appliance portfolio while retaining its specialist cooking-equipment identity.

  Source

• 2006

  Greater focus on international marketsStrategy

  Background

  Under chief executive Serge Kergoat, Krampouz sought to increase its presence outside France.

  Action taken

  The company adopted a strategy centered on expanding foreign-market distribution.

  Aftermath

  By 2013, Krampouz reported distribution through approximately 200 distributors in more than 150 countries.

  Source

• 2001

  Relocation to a larger Pluguffan facilityStrategy

  Background

  The company was expanding beyond its original specialist manufacturing base and required additional operational capacity.

  Action taken

  Krampouz moved to a 3,000-square-metre facility in Pluguffan, Brittany.

  Aftermath

  The relocation provided a larger base for the company’s subsequent product and international expansion.

  Source

1. 1Krampouzen.wikipedia.org