Chef Sam

Chef Sam, operating as CS Cooking New Markets SL, was established in Barcelona in 2016 and functions as a brand accelerator and comprehensive service provider for the healthy food and beverage industry. The company was founded by José Cano, Bernard Hours, and Rafa Esteve, three former executives with extensive backgrounds in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, particularly at Danone. Their collective experience in internationalization for major corporations revealed a gap in the market for a service that moved beyond simple distribution to genuine brand building.

The founders' careers are deeply rooted in the food and marketing industries. José Cano has over 25 years of experience in the FMCG sector, with roles at Nielsen, L'Oréal, and a significant tenure at Danone in various sales and leadership positions. Bernard Hours boasts a long career at Danone, culminating in the role of COO for the entire group. Rafa Esteve founded and led a major advertising agency, specializing in food brands and working closely with Danone. This combined expertise forms the foundation of Chef Sam's business model, which aims to act as the de facto subsidiary for its partner brands in new markets.

Chef Sam provides a suite of growth services including distribution, consulting, marketing, point-of-sale management, and product development. The firm's operating model is designed to create permanent structures for its partners in the markets it enters, focusing on long-term brand equity through co-investment and transparency. It serves international brands specializing in natural and healthy products, helping them expand into the Iberian market and beyond. The company has worked with notable brands such as Oatly, Vita Coco, Pastoret, and Tony's Chocolonely. In addition to its service-based revenue, Chef Sam also takes equity stakes in some brands through its Chef Ventures arm.

In September 2022, the company received a significant investment from private equity firm Nexxus Iberia to fuel its expansion. Subsequently, in a transaction valued at €40 million announced in late 2024, Chef Sam was acquired by the Moroccan conglomerate Dislog Group. This acquisition is set to accelerate the growth of Chef Sam's partner brands into new international markets, with the Barcelona office becoming the European headquarters for Dislog. José Cano continues to lead Chef Sam, while Bernard Hours and Rafa Esteve have taken on board responsibilities at Dislog Europe.

Keywords: food brand accelerator, healthy food distribution, beverage brand management, FMCG market entry, international brand expansion, natural products consulting, Iberian food market, consumer goods strategy, brand building services, point-of-sale management, food and beverage marketing, retail distribution services, new market development, co-investment brand partnership, José Cano, Bernard Hours, Rafa Esteve, Dislog Group, Nexxus Iberia, European food distribution