The walls of the premises by the square in Skellefteå are black, but when they expand in the future, they plan to use lighter colours. – it will have a Versailles theme. Super bright and lots of flowers, says Abdoullah Latreche.
The spark for the idea to offer various French delicacies came when Mohammed Maâskri was working at Northvolt. He realised that many of his colleagues, also from southern Europe, particularly missed such offerings.
– Pastries, especially, are very different from what's available locally, Mohammed says when we meet at his and Abdoullah Latreche’s café by the square in Skellefteå.
They started their venture in a food truck outside the Northvolt site in June last year, after Mohammed went to great lengths to impress those responsible for food at the battery factory.
He took a week off from Northvolt, went to Paris, and baked all the pastries overnight – before packing his cooler bag and catching a flight back. Once in Skellefteå, he rented an Airbnb where he invited the Northvolt managers for a tasting.
– And they loved it. Since then, we’ve been building on it, says Mohammed.
The premises by the square in Skellefteå have black walls, but when they expand in the future, they plan to go with lighter colours. – it will have a Versailles theme. Super bright and lots of flowers, says Abdoullah Latreche.
The plan to open in central Skellefteå was there from the start, but the cutbacks at Northvolt obviously had an impact. Up until the first major lay-off last autumn, everything had been looking promising.
– Then we saw a significant decrease in customers. Not just because people were forced to leave, but also because many became more cautious with their spending. It was a very tough period, says Mohammed, who then accelerated the search for a central location.
– There are definitely bakeries and cafés here, but nothing like our products. We saw a gap in the market. He and his cousin Abdoullah, who moved here to run the business with Mohammed, finally settled on a location in the square, where the electronics store Elon Ljud & Bild used to be.
– We like the location in the square and there is good footfall outside. There is great potential, says Abdoullah.
There are plans to expand the range further with, for example, French cheeses. – even if you can't travel to Paris, you can come here and get a taste of France instead, says Mohammed Maâskri.
Have you doubted the venture, considering Northvolt’s situation?
– Absolutely, we know it has a big impact on the town. But our customers have also told us that Skellefteå had a solid economy even before Northvolt. That’s what gave us the impetus to continue, says Mohammed.
Both cousins are trained engineers: Mohammed in robotics, and Abdoullah in mathematics. Their knowledge of pastries and food comes from their grandfather, who ran a bakery in France.
– We grew up with it and want to do something similar here, says Abdoullah.
They opened their café in February and have since expanded their offerings. Now, in addition to pastries, there are also sandwiches, milkshakes, and hot dishes. They don’t want to call it a restaurant but prefer to call it a bistro.
– You don’t have to eat here; you can just come in for a coffee or a dessert. It should be a relaxed atmosphere for everyone, says Mohammed.
Abdoullah Latreche, 28, a mathematical engineer, runs French Gastronomy with Mohammed Maâskri, 30, a robotics engineer. Their interest in food and pastries comes from their grandfather, who ran a bakery in France when they were younger.
In addition to pastries, hot dishes are now also on the menu – all with a connection to France – it's called French Gastronomy for a reason, says Mohammed.
They have also improved their service, transitioning from paper cups and cartons to real porcelain, and gained some insights along the way.
– We both thought black was a good colour for a café, but we’ve realised it might be a bit too dark here in northern Sweden, says Abdoullah, who explains they are planning much lighter colours for the section still under development.
– It will have a Versailles theme: very bright with lots of flowers, he says.
So, you plan to stay in Skellefteå?
– Yes, but of course, it depends on whether the people of Skellefteå appreciate the concept, says Mohammed.