Meet the Maker: Peugeot Saveurs
Most people see the brand name Peugeot and think of automobiles, but the heritage French company has been making mills since 1840 – decades before the world’s first motorised car was invented. While the Peugeot brothers were not the ones to invent cars, we have them to thank for the world’s first manual coffee grinder, as well as the world’s first pepper mill. The latter’s design was so perfect that the pepper mill, as an object, has barely changed since its creation in 1874.
Peugeot Saveurs – the company’s food and drink arm – recently launched a replica of that original pepper mill, with a salt mill to match. To mark the occasion, we talked to Peugeot Saveurs CEO Sébastien Zott about the company’s incomparable legacy in the culinary world, and how they’ve managed to preserve their DNA as a family business despite being, well, Peugeot.
This interview has been shortened and lightly edited for clarity.
Peugeot is re-launching its original 1874 pepper mill this year. Can you tell us more about what makes this piece so special?
This was the world’s first pepper mill, a tool initially prepared for chemists rather than chefs. It is called the 1874 mill even though Peugeot was in operation long before that – they were making coffee mills in 1840. Peugeot was actually one of the first to manufacture hand-cranked coffee mills with burrs, which was remarkable for having consistent grind sizes in different settings. To make the first pepper mill, Peugeot essentially shrunk the size of the coffee mill’s mechanism to make it suitable for peppercorns.
Would you say this item is for collectors, or more functional?
This tool is meant to be function-first – and not just for fans of Peugeot. It is the perfect size to have on the table. While having a tall pepper mill is great for the kitchen, on the table, you want shorter pepper and salt mills, no more than 15cm, so you can actually see the people in front of you! You also don’t want to knock it over when passing around wine or bread. It’s also beautifully made; the beechwood has a lovely, rich patina, with a gold button at the top. If it’s tight, the grind is finer, and if it’s loose, the grind is more coarse.
I’ve heard that many Peugeot pepper mills are finished by hand. Can you tell me more about this?
All Peugeot wooden mills are put together by hand, and that’s because no two trees will have the same finish. Only a human eye can make sure the parts look cohesive and elegant. Initially we had varnished the wood to skip this step, but noticed that this made the mills look less natural, so we continue to do it by hand to preserve the integrity of a wooden finish. All our quality control must be enforced by our workers, too, because only a human eye can spot the defects. I’ve noticed that our female employees are a bit more skilled at this.
Can you tell me more about the u'Select mechanism on the Peugeot Paris and Peugeot Maestro mills? They are customer favourites.
The u'Select mechanism was created in-house by Peugeot, and the point was to eliminate having to grind pepper in order to see whether it was set to finer or more coarse, and just know straight away what the setting is. Because any mechanism, like the one in our 1874 mills, can go from fine to rough – what makes u'Select different is the six different consistent grind sizes. A lot of non-Peugeot pepper grinders are also likely to have the different grind sizes hidden or not clearly marked – for example, you might have to look under the mill to check the grind size – but the u'Select design is such that the grind sizes are clearly marked and indicated when the mill is upright. You can always keep it at the exact grind setting you like, and you’ll know if it has been changed. You never have to reach underneath the mill to change the setting, especially if you have unwashed fingers. This is overall much quicker, convenient and hygienic. Six is also a very high number of options.
Peugeot wine and spirits tools are so considered, specific, and well-made. Can you tell me more about how products are developed for this range?
We have a team of three engineers and two designers for all Peugeot Saveurs products, not just drinks. That is the only way we can make sure a product is truly ‘Peugeot’, and we pride ourselves on being ingenious, as well as making sure everything is durable and of high quality. We start with an idea that identifies a need, or think of an existing product that we would like to improve. (BK note: Peugeot is very good at this; see their decanter cleaning beads or wine ageing tool for examples.) Once we get to the prototype stage, we ask sommeliers and wine professionals for their feedback. We experiment a lot with friends and family too, because this kind of ‘global’ feedback is how we can be sure the user experience is ideal.
What makes Peugeot Appolia ceramics special?
The Brittany-based company Appolia is 90 years old, and initially, they only produced earthenware products for butchers or commercial partners, rather than consumers. Every ceramics producer has their own recipe, and what makes Appolia’s recipe special is their glaze. It’s very strong, especially against thermal shock. (BK note: This is when a ceramic dish cracks after it’s experienced an abrupt temperature change.) The glaze’s recipe also allows for a brighter, more lustrous pigmentation. It’s a very small factory where a lot of things are still done by hand, like the pressing of ceramic paste into moulds.
Can you tell us more about Peugeot’s commitment to sustainability?
The vast majority (85%) of Peugeot products are made in France; the pepper mills are 100% made in France, including the plastic fittings. We always do our best to keep everything we can in Europe. All the wood we use comes from within 120km of our factory, and all the paints we use are 80% hydro-based (as opposed to oil). We do everything we can to make sure our factories conserve as much energy as possible, from using LED lights to eco-friendly heaters.
How involved is the Peugeot founding family in the business?
Despite being a large company, Peugeot is a family office. You will see every generation of the Peugeot family at work, from grandfathers to 30-year-olds, and there is a lot of interaction with them. Preserving the DNA of the family company is very important, and will always come first; that is why we do not compromise on quality. It is what has led the company where it is today, and will continue to aid the long-term vision.
Where do you see Peugeot 150 years from now?
I believe Peugeot will always be family-run. Peugeot Saveurs is a different branch from automobiles, but the brand remains the same – it’s always the Peugeot lion, though you might notice the lion logo looks different for the cars than it does for mills, and it looks a little different for every branch of the business. But the lion is always kept as a family emblem.