Responsible for a good slice of the bakery market, which moves more than R$ 100 billion per year in the country , artisan bakeries today grow like yeast. And the St. boy is one of the prominent names in this scene: based on imported ingredients and natural fermentation, it completes five years of life in February with the announcement of two new stores, which will open soon.
The first one is on the busy Rua Mourato Coelho, in the same Pine trees who saw the brand born and happen. The other, at the gastronomic Mário Ferraz, from Itaim Bibi and which will be the largest in the network so far, with 150 square meters.
“We believe it is an interesting moment to take the bakery to other neighborhoods, especially one that is as important in the gastronomic scene as Itaim”, says the Frenchman. Jean-Pierre Bernard partner-investor of the brand.
When he opened his first unit, in low pines , to St. Chico soon became successful with his apparent factory, where bread is baked in front of customers. Added to this are the shelves with hand-picked products and the small tables that face the shop window, which is always full of creative options.
With that “yes” from the public, the group decided it was time to move into the neighborhood and two years later came the second point, on the busy Rua dos Pinheiros. Success replicated and a lock down coming. “We became the neighborhood bakery, the one you trust and know what you have. And so we managed to survive the critical phase of the pandemic”, recall the partners.
Two more years passed and everything overcome, it was time to look for a new point. Mainly with the news that the property of this second unit had been sold to the real estate market that, in a tormenting way, has been invading Pinheiros.
“It was an immense sadness for us. It was a unit where we had achieved a very captive audience, more than doubling our revenue”, he recalls. Maria Teresa Silvério, The tete which is in charge of the administrative service, among other functions it performs.
She studied hotel management, worked at the Fasano and Emiliano hotels, took a specialization course in the sector in Australia and, when she returned to Brazil, she embraced the luxury events market. From this universe, she brought the teachings of service excellence, embraced the cause of a place that recovers her most important family roots – that of hospitality.
In fact, it is Tetê who runs the works. And it was she who headed the viability of taking the brand to Higienópolis – curiously, also for the third time under a small residential building. The store, with a wooden deck and looking like a small restaurant to stay in all day, offers, in addition to the huge range of breads and the hand-picked products market, options such as salads and more hearty sandwiches for lunch. “We are still getting used to the customs of customers in the region. It is different from the hustle and bustle of Pinheiros, and it has been a very nice experience for us as a brand”, they evaluate.
With the definitive closure of the Rua dos Pinheiros unit at the end of 2022, it was time to look for a new home in that area again. The place chosen was Mourato Coelho, at the point that previously housed the Jaber esfiharia. “The place is the way we love it, busy and with a lot of people passing by. We believe that in two or three months we will be working at full steam”, says Tetê.
Simultaneously, work began on Itaim Bibi. “I am French-Brazilian. And, of course, I like French bread, but I really believe in the model of bakeries in São Paulo. With the arrival of the bakery in Itaim Bibi, we are going to include the Brazilian side that we lack today: a larger menu of food and dishes, with waiters and direct service at the table. All without giving up our well-known showcase”, says Cyril Bernard, partner-investor of the brand.
Still according to him, the great asset of St Chico is the perfect balance between quality in handcrafted products and friendly service. “Currently, we are processing 2,500 kilos of flour per month and we intend to at least double that volume. With the new stores, St. Chico should have revenues of R$8.5 million per year”, he adds, remembering that the brand also supplies its products to bars and restaurants in the city.
The Brazilian style with the French savoir-faire of the bakery is reflected in the range of products that come out of the ovens every day, whether it’s a levain bread, a biscuit with generous chocolate filling, a brioche in a puff version or even a more trivial snack.
“To St. Chico was born to be democratic. Do you want a coffee strained in an American cup with a cheese bread? He has. Do you prefer a more elaborate bread, with natural fermentation? There are also”, reflects Helena Thousand Men cook, baker and jiu-jitsu fighter.
Graduated in gastronomy from Senac Águas de São Pedro, she started her career literally surfing in Itacaré, where she interned at the Txai Resort. Afterwards, she became a trainee at a luxury resort in the United States. On her return, she settled in São Paulo and worked in the kitchens of large houses such as Dalva and Dito.
A very French touch
Upon returning to Brazil, Helena also embraced another cause: that of managing the Institut National de la Boulangerie Pâtisserie (the INBP, founded in 1974 in France), providing training and consultancy in baking throughout the country. It was when he met Jean-Pierre Bernard, responsible for bringing INBP to Brazil, as well as FBD (Foreign Business Development), a company with offices in Paris, São Paulo, Milan and Miami and which provides the necessary support to foreign investors interested in investing in these markets.
Jean-Pierre is still one of the founders of Vinhetica, which produces wine, saucisson and sheep cheese in southern Brazil – here, as in the bakery, with Terroir cuisine (development based on local history and culture) and French inspiration.
Alongside this endeavor is his son, Cyril Bernard, who is responsible for the financial management of the business. Father and son are categorical when it comes to the quality of the items that the bakery offers, mostly from small national producers.
“We don’t use French butter, not even for our croissant. This is because we believe that the terroir must be preserved, as in the world of wine. With this attitude, buying and promoting the use of Brazilian products, we reduce the carbon footprint and help with sustainability. This is a personal concern of mine and it only makes sense for us to grow if we are going to take this premise forward”, says Jean-Pierre.
St. Boy: Avenida Higienópolis, 467 – Higienópolis | Rua Fernão Dias, 461 – Pinheiros, São Paulo – SP / Tel.: (11) 97280-9010 | Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 7am to 8pm; Saturday, from 7 am to 7 pm; and Sunday, from 7 am to 6 pm.
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
