A Ukrainian channel offering croissants has just settled in France. His recipe is very different from the one we know.
France is distinguished by its gastronomy and what could be more recognizable than its wand and its pastries? The crescent is one of the essentials in particular. According to a Ifop survey From 2019 for the federation of bakery companies, it is the first pastry consumed by the French (74% eat regularly). Several pastries are trying to compete with him, but in vain. There was, for example, the “Crookie”, a mixture between the croissant and the cookie, but much more expensive than the croissant, he did not dethroned it.
A new opponent is currently trying his luck. The LVIV growing channel, which was created in 2015, opened a shop on January 30 in Cannes on January 30. LVIV is a city in western Ukraine, the franchise bearing its name has 187 stores in its country of origin. And the brand has not chosen the city of the south of France at random to get started: Russians and Ukrainians have numerous in the region, especially since the start of the war.
And this is just a start! LVIV Croissants targets other French cities in 2025 like Nice or Aix-en-Provence. From 2026, the project rises to ten additional shops per year. “We are now ready to conquer French pastries lovers with our irresistible creations,” said the channel in a press release.
The composition of Lviv pastries is very different from that of the classic crescent butter. Coming into the shop, other smells are reflected. “It smells like the good dose of bacon, salami, cabbage and scrambled eggs. It smells good from Eastern Europe,” said the German media Der Spiegel.
The chain mainly sells savory croissants, trying to adapt to the local market: “In addition to our classic options, our menu offers French croissants filled with goat cheese, honey and nuts, mortadelle, pear and gorgonzola, raclette cheese and raw ham”. Some sweet croissants are also available, including one in the “Pina Colada”. It is garnished with mascarpone, coconut, pineapple and mint. A wide variety of cold drinks, tea and cafes is also available as an accompaniment.
The French are struggling for the moment to join this new concept, customers being mainly Ukrainian with their children or grandchildren. So will LVIV Croissants succeed in competing with craft bakeries as well as in large channels like Paul, Marie Blachère, La Brioche Dorée or ready to eat?