In the beginning, there were three partners who organized multi-sensory events between Paris and Montreal mixing immersive experiences, food and design. Tristan Cano, Benoit Le Guein and Nadia Lahrichi then pooled their own savings to design an edible object: the very first seasoning to cut.

“We started the company in France in 2015 with the ambition of expanding internationally,” explains Nadia Lahrichi, a HEC graduate who spent 10 years in France before returning to settle here. “Since I came from Quebec and was good at English, I came to market the product from Montreal. Benoît, our “food scientist” who has a background in cooking and fine arts, stayed in the south of France to continue creating new objects. Tristan is developing the European territory there and is responsible for exporting the product to Japan.”

The product had been simmering in the trio's drawers for several years before seeing the light of day on both sides of the ocean. "Creating the food sharpener was almost as complicated as creating the pencil," says the co-founder. "It was also necessary to create molds and robots in order to produce in volume to reach 20,000 pencils per month.

With the sharpening pencils that will soon have a tenth and eleventh flavor, OCNI wanted to surprise where they were not expected. "We wanted to create a surprise not only with the texture and the explosion of flavors in the mouth, but also with a new food gesture. Sharpening spices provokes an interaction at the table. The gesture is fun and takes us back to childhood. This range of unusual products will expand over time with other food objects,"

Driving growth and innovation

The company now has about ten employees, a turnover of $300,000 (for Canada) and is starting its growth projects in its three territories. "We created a team that is capable of producing seasonings and ensuring product quality and marketing. We can therefore keep time, the three founders, to continue innovating. Benoît therefore devotes himself entirely to creating new objects throughout the year and we help him develop his ideas so that they go all the way."

For Nadia Lahrichi, undertaking growth has proven to be more dizzying than starting the business itself. “It involves more risks, involves more people. The pressure is greater because we have more to lose,” acknowledges the entrepreneur who was able to count on the support of PME MTL , the Fondation Montréal Inc and Créavenir de Desjardins.

After meeting the general public at gastronomic events and through the 60 points of sale in Quebec and Ontario, Nadia now wants to develop the relationship with chefs, cooks and mixologists. "They bring us their expertise on taste pairings and we can innovate together to adapt the product so that it is easy to use for professionals."