Formerly a restaurateur in Paris, founder Guillaume Desmurs arrived in New Zealand in 2006 and found there were very few traditional and locally-made French products. Desmurs wanted to create a line of products that were ethically perfect with no concessions and were like the ones that his grandparents would’ve eaten. He started at the La Cigale French Markets in Auckland but moved swiftly into retail shortly after. Each product is handmade ensuring the highest standards, they are also gluten-free and contain no starch or flour. The sausages are unique and feature a coarse grind, fresh seasoning and an exclusive use of prime cuts of meat.
“Guillaume moved to the UK four years ago, leaving the business in the hands of head charcutier Philippe Arregui. Wade Lewis joined three years ago. He and Arregui have worked to build the business and increase the range without compromising the traditional artisanal ways we employ,” said owner, Lisa Lewis. As a part of this, they have launched a new range of long-life rillettes and parfaits as well as new seasonal sausage flavours. Up until recently, L’Authentique was only available at speciality food stores, but can now also be found in 40 New Worlds nationwide. L’Authentique is looking for more stores in the South Island that have a steady customer base concerned with health, quality and flavour.
