When he talks about the flavors of his island, Jean-Charles Bertrand is inexhaustible. In the kitchen of his coffee-shop in Saint-Denis de La Réunion, aromas of bourbon vanilla, Victoria pineapple and swirls of sharp Bourbon coffee are mixed, "one of the tastiest in the world" swears. -he.
By opening the Mafate Café a year ago, the entrepreneur wanted to honor local traditional gastronomy. Determined to continue its activity despite the closure of restaurants due to the Covid-19, he imagines a delivery system in its own right.
"Customers come to travel, not just for food," he explains. We had to recreate this at home. For transportation, he turns to the Wello company. His Creole brunches will arrive on customers' plates aboard a three-wheeled bicycle powered by photovoltaics.
Neither car nor scooter
To ensure delivery, Jean-Charles Bertrand started by contacting the companies UberEats and Please, but the additional cost for the customer amounted to 30% per order. Too much for this restaurateur, who does not consider himself "in agreement with the ethics of these large groups". Then, on the advice of Arnaud Chereau, the founder of Wello, the owner of the cafe calls on the local Association for integration and employment (Alie).
In addition to having participated in the production of scooters, this organization bought several models for its employees. The coffee then kills two birds with one stone by hiring one of them, equipped with its Wello. A "turnkey solution" that Pierre Moustic, project manager at Alie, wishes to extend to other companies.
From coffee stoves to the consumer's table, three companies are helping out. The initiative, which combines professional reintegration, traditional cuisine and green energy vehicles, is to the taste of customers.
"Our regulars are straddling the ecological aspect, there was no question of serving them at home by car or scooter," says Jean-Charles Bertrand, who will maintain this service, even after his restaurant reopened.
Soon in Paris
Adapted to the local weather, the Wello easily crisscrosses the steep paths of Reunion. "Here, solar energy is like having liters of oil falling from the sky," enthuses its designer, who is already thinking beyond the borders of his native island.
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The Wello should arrive in the streets of Paris or in peri-urban areas, for rental for 189 euros per month or for sale from 4,900 euros. "Its width does not exceed that of a motorcycle handlebar, you can park it between two cars", boasts its creator.
Still in the experimental phase, this tripartite collaboration could pave the way for new partnerships. For the Mafate Café, a second Wello is already on the way.
