STAUB

STAUB is a French cookware brand originating in Turckheim, Alsace, and specializing in premium enameled cast iron. Its history began in 1974, when Francis Staub designed the company’s first cocotte, or coquelle, in a dormant artillery factory. The product established the central formula that continues to define the brand: heavy cast iron protected by a double layer of enamel, combining heat retention with a durable, comparatively easy-care surface. The cocotte is the core of STAUB’s product identity. Its cast-iron construction is suited to slow cooking and other methods that benefit from stable, even heat. The enamel coating protects the metal from rust and makes the cookware easier to clean than uncoated cast iron. STAUB’s lids also became a recognizable technical feature. Interior projections, often described as self-basting or “rain” structures, allow condensation to collect and return to the food during cooking. This design supports moist braising and roasting while giving the cookware a functional point of distinction beyond its colors and exterior styling. STAUB products occupy both a culinary and presentation role. The company’s cookware is designed to move from the kitchen to the dining table, and its appearance has made it suitable for restaurants that cook and serve dishes directly in the vessel. This dual-use positioning places the brand between professional cookware and premium home dining: the products are engineered for demanding preparation but also treated as visible serving pieces. The business developed an international footprint. In 2007, approximately half of the company’s sales revenue came from outside its domestic market, and reported annual sales were €44 million. By April 2008, the company employed approximately 430 people, with Francis Staub serving as president. At that time, production operated through three facilities in France, a joint venture in Japan, and a marketing branch in the United States. These arrangements reflected the brand’s expansion beyond Alsace while retaining a distinctly French manufacturing identity. In June 2008, STAUB was acquired by Zwilling J. A. Henckels. The acquisition placed the brand within a larger international cookware group, but STAUB continued to operate as an independent brand rather than being absorbed into the Zwilling name. Its differentiation remains centered on enameled cast iron, cocottes, French origin, table-ready aesthetics, and the combination of traditional cooking performance with contemporary product design. Because the available reference material concentrates on the brand’s origin, manufacturing structure, acquisition, and cocotte technology, detailed information about later management, current headquarters, revenue, retail channels, and recent product launches is not established here.

STAUB was established in 1974 in Turckheim, in France’s Alsace region, by Francis Staub. The company’s first major product was a cocotte, also known as a coquelle or Dutch oven. Staub designed the vessel in a dormant artillery factory, linking the company’s origins to an industrial site while developing a product rooted in traditional French cooking. The brand’s manufacturing concept centered on cast iron covered with a double-glazed enamel finish. This construction gave the cookware the thermal mass associated with cast iron while adding a protective and decorative surface. The enamel helped make the pieces rustproof and easier to clean, broadening the appeal of cast iron for home cooks and professional kitchens. The cocotte’s lid incorporated interior projections that collected condensation and returned it to the food, supporting even basting during covered cooking. STAUB’s visual design also became part of its commercial identity. The cookware could be used not only for preparation but also for presentation, allowing restaurants and households to bring the vessel directly to the table. This helped distinguish the brand from cookware positioned solely as utilitarian kitchen equipment. Its products combined substantial construction and slow-cooking functionality with an appearance intended to complement dining environments. The company expanded internationally over time. In 2007, approximately 50 percent of its sales revenue was generated abroad, while total reported sales reached €44 million. In April 2008, the company had approximately 430 employees, and Francis Staub was president. Its operating structure at that point included three production facilities in France, a joint venture in Japan, and a marketing branch in the United States. The structure shows that STAUB had developed beyond a regional French manufacturer into an international cookware business. A major ownership change occurred in June 2008, when Zwilling J. A. Henckels acquired the company. The transaction brought STAUB into a larger cookware group but did not eliminate the brand’s separate identity. STAUB continued to operate as an independent brand, preserving its French positioning and focus on enameled cast iron. The available source material does not establish a complete chronology of later product introductions, executive appointments, manufacturing changes, or current corporate operations. Accordingly, the documented history is strongest for the company’s founding, product technology, international expansion, and 2008 acquisition.

1. 2008International production and marketing network documented

   The company operated three production facilities in France, a joint venture in Japan, and a marketing branch in the United States; it employed approximately 430 people in April.

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2. 2008Acquisition by Zwilling J. A. Henckels

   Zwilling J. A. Henckels acquired STAUB in June. STAUB retained its independent brand identity after the transaction.

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3. 2007International sales become a major part of the business

   Approximately half of reported sales revenue came from markets outside the company’s domestic market, alongside reported total sales of €44 million.

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4. 1974STAUB is founded and develops its first cocotte

   Francis Staub designed the company’s first cocotte or coquelle in a dormant artillery factory in Alsace, establishing the brand’s core cookware format.

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Premium French cookware combining durable enameled cast iron, slow-cooking performance, distinctive self-basting lid design, and presentation suitable for serving at the table.

• STAUB cocotteEnameled cast-iron cookware1974

  The cocotte is STAUB’s foundational product and is comparable to a Dutch oven or French coquelle. It is made from cast iron covered with a double-glazed enamel finish. The heavy body supports heat retention for braising, roasting, and other slow-cooking methods, while the enamel surface helps protect against rust and simplifies cleaning. Its lid includes interior projections that collect condensation and return it to the food, promoting continuous basting. The vessel is also designed to be presentable enough for direct service at the dining table.

• STAUB cast-iron cookwareEnameled cast-iron cookware

  STAUB’s broader cast-iron cookware range extends the brand’s central material and enamel technology beyond the original cocotte. The double-glazed enamel provides a protective outer and inner surface, combining the heat-retention characteristics of cast iron with resistance to rust and relatively straightforward care. The products are positioned for home and professional cooking and are visually finished for use in serving and presentation as well as preparation.

• STAUB bakewareBakeware

  STAUB’s bakeware forms part of its enameled cast-iron and ovenware offering. Like the brand’s cookware, it emphasizes durable construction and a presentation-oriented appearance. The available reference material identifies bakeware as a product category but does not provide a complete list of formats, launch dates, or model-level specifications.

• 2008Join the Zwilling J. A. Henckels groupM&A

  STAUB had developed an international business with manufacturing in France, a Japanese joint venture, and a United States marketing branch before the acquisition.

  What changed. Zwilling J. A. Henckels acquired STAUB in June 2008, while allowing it to continue operating as an independent brand.

  Aftermath. The transaction added STAUB to a larger cookware group without replacing its separate French brand identity.

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• 2008Zwilling J. A. Henckels acquires Staub

  Zwilling J. A. Henckels acquired STAUB in June 2008. The brand continued to operate independently within the acquiring group.

  M&A
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• 2008ZWILLING J.A. Henckels acquired Staub

  Staub became part of the ZWILLING Group through an acquisition by ZWILLING J.A. Henckels. The transaction integrated the French cookware brand into ZWILLING's international portfolio while retaining Staub's established brand identity.

  M&A
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1. Staub (cookware)
2. ZWILLING J.A. Henckels acquired Staub