Emova Group

The story begins in 1965 when Laurent Merlino, a florist from Nice, opened a shop in Paris near the Parc Monceau. He introduced a new concept: self-service flower buying, allowing customers to compose their own bouquets. This idea democratized the flower market, which was previously seen as a luxury. Joined by his son-in-law Raphaël Amar in 1970, the family business began to grow. A key moment arrived in 1998 when Laurent Amar, Merlino's grandson, launched a franchise system, expanding the Monceau Fleurs brand across France. This set the stage for major growth. The company, then known as Groupe Monceau Fleurs, went public on the Euronext Growth market in 2007, raising 32 million euros. This capital fueled further expansion, including the acquisition of the Rapid'Flore chain the following year. However, this rapid growth led to financial trouble, and the group entered a safeguard procedure in 2011. A major turning point occurred in 2013 when the investment fund Perceva took control, stabilizing the company. In 2015, the company rebranded as Emova Group to unify its growing portfolio of brands, which now includes Monceau Fleurs, Au nom de la rose, Cœur de Fleurs, and Happy. This strategic move positioned Emova as a dominant leader in the European retail flower market, built on the foundation of a single innovative Parisian flower shop.