Finland's Mysoda chooses Comines to set up in France!

Saving more than 1,000 plastic bottles in 3 years is the challenge that the Finnish company Mysoda is preparing to present to French consumers. Very much in vogue in Northern Europe and Germany, carbonation machines are emerging as practical, environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional soft drinks. The town of Comines has been abuzz with excitement ever since the company decided to set up its French production site there.

©Mysoda|Mysoda

A French base that is synonymous with eco-responsibility and the local economy

Mysoda has three major commitments:

Not to have to cut down any trees to produce its machines,
To travel as few kilometres as possible to supply its customers,
Think locally to act globally.

To produce its equipment, Mysoda has chosen a sustainable alternative to gasification machines traditionally made from fossil-based plastic. How do we do this? By developing the first small household appliance made from almost 100% renewable bio-composite material. The material was developed in partnership with UPM, a Finnish bio-industrial company with its roots in forestry. It is made from two totally renewable materials: polypropylene (manufactured from tall oil) and wood fibres. As both raw materials are by-products of sawmills and paper mills, no additional trees need to be felled.

With a presence in many European countries, the brand has chosen Comines to supply the French and Belgian markets, which are increasingly consuming locally, with the same leitmotiv: minimising its ecological impact and supporting the local economy.

From Helsinki to Comines, a 3-stage process

Stage 1: setting up a production site in France.

To set up in France, Mysoda began by looking for a warehouse that would enable it to open a filling, assembly and distribution unit, with three prerequisites identified:

The warehouse must be large enough to accommodate the company’s growth and be able to install a CO2 tank alongside the building.
To be close to major roads to facilitate distribution in France and Belgium.
Be close to the Belgian border to make it easier for the manager of the French plant, who lives in Belgium, to get around.
After ten or so visits, the choice fell on a 1,000m2 warehouse in Comines.

Step 2: Support the local economy.

For Mysoda, working with local partners is essential. To produce its flavours, the brand chose Maison Guiot, part of the Monin group, based in Valenciennes. This French production enables it to offer flavours tailored to local consumers.

The CO2 cylinders, meanwhile, are filled at the Comines site with French CO2 from partner Air Liquide, 100% derived from wind and solar energy.

Producing locally also means working with your neighbours! Mysoda buys its pallets from Ecopal and its packaging from FDR Emballages, both based in Comines. And when it comes to recruitment, our employees all live within 15km of the site.

Stage 3: covering the region

Mysoda has just signed up several major chains in France, including Géant Casino and E.Leclerc. Since the summer of 2021, the products have been available in 2,000 sales outlets in France and even online, and since June around twenty employees have been recruited at the Comines site.

The Hello Lille key

After being put in touch by our partner Nord France Invest, the Invest team helped with the technical and property aspects of the project, as well as providing an introduction to the Lille ecosystem.