An independent family business

Now run by Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu, the founder's granddaughter, la belle-iloise remains true to its roots, its identity and what it holds most dear: respect and quality. Driven for over 90 years by the same spirit of doing well, we enthusiastically move forward day after day, inviting you to experience the pleasure of eating well!

Key dates for la belle-iloise :

1932

Georges Hilliet: a visionary founder

At the age of 22, Georges Hilliet, from a family of seafarers, opens his fish cannery in Port-Maria, the fishing port of Quiberon. With direct access to the sea, he is able to work with the freshest fish, just caught. At that time, Quiberon is one of France's largest sardine ports, with 14 canneries!

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1967

Choosing independence in the name of quality

The 60s see the emergence of mass retailing in France, and Georges Hilliet senses that the local grocery stores that distribute his cans are about to be replaced by supermarkets. But Georges' main driving force is quality, the very "raison d'être" of his work and his trademark...

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1972

The relay of the sons

In 1972, forty years after the creation of the cannery, two of Georges Hilliet's 5 children - Georges fils, the eldest, and Bernard, the youngest - take over. The two brothers will co-direct la belle-iloise for 24 years !

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1982

The early days of distance selling!

To stay in touch, la belle-iloise has an idea: write to its customers! The Conserverie's fine products are appreciated all over France, but its 9 stores are located only on the Breton coast. So, outside the summer vacations, la belle-iloise misses its dear customers...

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1993

Plein Ouest, the new factory & Visitor area

Faced with the success of its products and growing customer demand, la belle-iloise has to expand its factory. La Conserverie moves to a new, larger, more modern production site meeting European standards, and always in Quiberon, in the Plein Ouest artisanal zone, where we are still located today!

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1996

Bernard Hilliet: conquering the coast!

While Georges Fils retires, Bernard Hilliet continues the adventure alone as CEO of la belle-iloise. For 15 years, he developes the store network. After setting up la belle-iloise in Brittany with his brother, he sets out to conquer the French Great West, up to the Channel, then down to the South-West of France, and finally to the Mediterranean coast!

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2011

Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu : innovation and engagement

In 2011, after 5 years at her father's side, during which she acquired knowledge and expertise in the various belle-iloise trades, Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu takes the helm of the family business. Driven by strong social and environmental convictions, she engages la belle-iloise towards the future.

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2020

Ever more responsible and committed

La belle-iloise defines its "raison d'être" and its commitments for the future. With its mission of "Enabling eachone to live better by conciliating healthy eating and pleasure", la belle-iloise establishs itself as a reference for healthy eating, with products that are good for oneself and good for the Planet!

Lire plus

2022

Celebrating 90 years!

To celebrate its 90th anniversary, la belle-iloise opens its 90th direct sales store in Angers, ten portraits of its products and trades are published on its website, and a book on the story of the Conserverie is published by Ouest-France: La belle-iloise, la jolie boîte bretonne. The company is also awarded the Enseigne Responsable label and voted Best Chain of Stores of France!

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1932

Georges Hilliet a visionary founder

At the age of 22, Georges Hilliet, from a family of fishermen and fishmongers, opens his fish cannery in Port-Maria, Quiberon's fishing port. With direct access to the sea, he is able to work the freshest fish, just caught. Back then, Quiberon is one of France's largest sardine ports, with 14 canneries!

At that time, the company is called "Établissement Georges Hilliet", and produces only canned sardines, including two now-historic recipes: Saint-Georges Sardines in olive oil and La Belle-Iloise Sardines in peanut oil.

Georges Hilliet himself imagines the decor for his first tins. To design the two recipes mentioned above, he is inspired by the golden legend in which Saint-Georges defeats the dragon, and by a postcard illustrating a young woman from Belle-Île-en-mer in traditional costume.

Georges Hilliet father and son (baby) with family

1962

Our first soup !

La Conserverie launches its first soup: "Genuine Breton Fish Soup". Its unique taste is distinguished by its iodized nature, its light texture, and its subtle finishing touch with a blend of herbs and spices - our well-kept secret! Once again, Georges imagins the box design.

This launch marks the beginning of the diversification of our products, and other sardine recipes are launched in its wake: Spices & Aromatics Sardines, the Pitomaïl Sardines, Green peppercorns Sardines, Marinated Sardines with Muscadet, and Tomato & Sunflower oil Sardines...

1967

Choosing independence in the name of quality

The 60s see the emergence of mass retailing in France, and Georges Hilliet senses that the local grocery stores distributing his cans are about to be replaced by supermarkets. To adapt to this new distribution model, one has to cut costs and sacrifice the quality of the products.

Yet, Georges' main driving force is quality, the very "raison d'être" of his work and his trademark. So for him, giving up is out of the question:

"If I have to, I'll take my basket and sell my sardines on the beach!" he asserts, expressing his absolute determination to maintain the excellence of his products.

Our first store !

At the heart of the Port-Maria factory, Georges transforms a small room that had been used as a checkroom into a store: he installs a few shelves with his good cans, which he decides to sell in batches. In June 1967, Georges hires a saleswoman for the season, and the first la belle-iloise store opens!

Freed from the constraints of mass distribution, Georges develops a second profession after that of manufacturer: that of distributor. He invents direct sales of cans to individuals at factory prices. The direct and permanent contact with his customers becoms the strength of La Conserverie.

The birth of the brand

Georges renames his company "la belle-iloise" after his best-selling recipe: the Sardines in Peanut oil, which he named in tribute to Belle-Ile, the island just opposite Quiberon, where his sardines are caught.

La Conserverie and its fine products now have an elegant brand name, and a brand-new emblem - the famous logo with the two entwined fish!

1968

The invention of Fish spreads !

La belle-iloise launches the first fish spread, the Sardine & Whisky Cream! With this new recipe, the Conserverie finds a way to use large sardines caught occasionally and which don't fit into whole sardine cans.

Here again, Georges innovates by adapting the methods of the charcuterie industry to seafood products. The Sardine & Whisky Cream proved a real success, paving the way for our range of aperitif fish spreads : the Lobster & Cognac Mousse, the Thoïonade, the Mackerel Rillettes with Lime...

1972

The relay of the sons doing the West

In 1972, forty years after the creation of the Conserverie, two of Georges Hilliet's 5 children - Georges fils, the eldest, and Bernard, the youngest - take over. The two brothers will co-direct la belle-iloise for 24 years.

That same year, they decide to open a second store in Carnac. This first step outside the Quiberon peninsula marks the beginning of their exploration of the French "Grand Ouest" and the development of their distribution business!

Together, they create a network of direct sales stores in some of the finest towns along the Armorican coast: Le Pouliguen, Le Croisic, Sarzeau, Perros-Guirec, Pont-Aven...

The arrival of White Tuna

In the mid-1970s, the Conserverie develops a new expertise around white albacore tuna, which in turn becomes one of our signature fish.

The product range expands: Tuna au naturel, Tuna with extra virgin olive oil, Tuna with green pepper... and the famous White Albacore Tuna Fillets, the tasty belly fillets that represent the noblest and rarest part of the fish.

1980

The early days of distance selling!

To keep in touch, la belle-iloise has an idea: write to its customers! The Conserverie's fine products are appreciated all over France, but its 9 stores are located only on the Armorican coast. So, outside the summer vacations, la belle-iloise misses its dear customers.

Georges Fils starts to narrate the belle-iloise with a simple typewritten letter, accompanied by an order form, which will be sent twice a year to customers who leave their home address during their stay at the seaside. It is the birth of distance selling at la belle-iloise!

The arrival of Mackerel

In the early '80s, after Sardines and White Albacore Tuna, la belle-iloise brings a new fish into its workshops: Mackerel, a fish rich in nutritional and health benefits.

It is the launch of our first Mackerel Fillets marinated in White wine & Aromatics!

1993

Plein Ouest the new factory & Visitor area

Faced with the success of its products and growing customer demand, la belle-iloise has to expand its factory. La Conserverie moves to a new, larger, more modern production site meeting European standards, and always in Quiberon, in the Plein Ouest artisanal zone, where we are still located today!

In 1994, on the Plein Ouest site, the Visitor area opens to enable the public to discover the history of la belle-iloise trough a Factory Tour, learn more about the different steps in the making of our products, and visit the reconstruction of the Conserverie's first workshop of 1932.

1996

Bernard Hilliet conquering the coast!

While Georges Fils retires, Bernard Hilliet continues the adventure alone as CEO of la belle-iloise. For 15 years, he developes the store network. After setting up la belle-iloise in Brittany with his brother, he sets out to conquer the French Great West, up to the Channel, then down to the South-West of France, and finally to the Mediterranean coast!

Au départ en retraite de Georges Fils, Bernard Hilliet poursuit seul l’aventure en tant que dirigeant de la belle-iloise. Pendant 15 ans, il développe le réseau des magasins. Après avoir implanté la belle-iloise en Bretagne et dans les Pays de la Loire avec son frère, il poursuit la conquête du Grand Ouest, remonte jusqu’à la Manche : Deauville, Dieppe, le Touquet… puis redescend vers le Sud-Ouest : d’abord la Rochelle, puis Saint-Jean-de-Luz, jusqu’à faire le grand pari de la Méditerranée !

In 2011, when he retires, La Conserverie is present all along the French coast, from Le Touquet to Menton, and opens its 50th store in Hyères.

2002

Ever more creativity!

To continue innovating and dreaming up new recipes, a Research & Development department is created with the arrival of François Sehier, our head chef!

His very first recipe, the Luzienne Sardines, is a tribute to Basque cuisine and to our Saint-Jean-de-Luz store. This creation, with Espelette chilli and Bayonne ham, was later adapted to a Flaked Tuna version.

It's the birth ouf our Flaked Tuna range. True ready-to-eat recipes, in which the fish flesh is gently crumbled before being blended with top-quality vegetables, oils and spices. Inspired by various culinary universes, our tasty Flaked fish open the way to new uses, making everyday cooking easier than ever!

Today, over the course of 20 years, François Sehier has created a hundred or so tasty recipes, ever more inventive, in their pretty, colorful tins that are the hallmark of belle-iloise!

2011

Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu innovation and engagement

In 2011, after 5 years at her father's side, during which she acquired knowledge and expertise in the various belle-iloise trades, Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu takes the helm of the family business.

She continues on the same course, launching new recipes and opening new stores along the coast and in major French cities.

Driven by strong social and environmental convictions, Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu takes la belle-iloise into the future by structuring the company and its CSR approach, making it a lever for action to meet today's and tomorrow's challenges.

"Writing the next part of the story is what drives me. The company has grown a lot: 20 years ago, there were 5 or 6 people in the offices, today there are around a hundred. And yet, it's the same human adventure!"

Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu, President & CEO of la belle-iloise

2014

Opening of our logistics platform

Order preparation and dispatch to our direct sales outlets, retailers and customers' homes now take place in Saint-Avé, on the outskirts of Vannes and 40km from Quiberon!

This is also where our cans are assembled into batches, assortments and gift boxes.

2020

Ever more responsible and committed

la belle-iloise defines its "raison d'être" and its commitments for the future. With its mission of "Enabling eachone to live better by conciliating healthy eating and pleasure", la belle-iloise establishs itself as a reference for healthy eating, with products that are good for oneself and good for the Planet!

"We're moving forward with an eye to the social, societal and environmental challenges that lie ahead, because we all have a role to play... We can, and we must, do our part." Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu

Committed to healthy and virtuous food, she initiates a Clean Label program on existing products and develops new fish-free vegetarian recipes based on organic seaweed from Brittany: Seaweed and Olive Tartare, Arvorig Soup, and the Indie Veggie little dish.

ISO 22000

That same year, the Conserverie obtains the ISO 22000 certification, an internationally recognized standard of excellence guaranteeing food safety.

"From the purchase of raw materials to the manufacture of cans, everything that enters and leaves the Conserverie complies with this standard. It's a kind of seal that indicates that all our products are perfectly safe."

Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu

Reducing our impact

At the same time, we take a number of measures to reduce our impact on the environment, such as reducing the use of plastic, cutting our water and energy consumption, and recycling by-products.

La belle-iloise also supports Iliens, France's first low-carbon sailing shuttle between Quiberon and Belle-Île.

2022

Celebrating 90 years!

To celebrate its 90th anniversary, la belle-iloise opens its 90th direct sales store in Angers, ten portraits of its products and trades are published on its website, and a book on the story of the Conserverie is published by Ouest-France: La belle-iloise, la jolie boîte bretonne.

The company is also awarded the Enseigne Responsable label, an independent recognition of its commitment to a society more respectful of the Environment and people.

Voted Best Chain Store of France 2022 and 2023 in the "delicatessen" category, la belle-iloise is proud to have succeeded in the challenge of direct sales, always close to you, our customers!

2023

Company with a mission

Ever more convinced of its mission: "To enable everyone to live better by reconciling healthy eating with pleasure", and ever more determined to play its part in building a more sustainable world, la belle-iloise has decided to become a "company with a mission" in 2023.

In so doing, the company is officially affirming its raison d'être and its commitments by enshrining them in its articles of association. It set itself the goal of contributing to a healthy, balanced diet, limiting its impact on the environment and supporting economic and social activity as close as possible to its local area.

The same year saw the launch of a new fish-free product, Mayoz'algues, to celebrate the sea even more, and the opening of 2 new shops, one in Brittany, on the Presqu'ile de Crozon, the other on rue Cler, in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.

la belle-iloise