FRANCE. Travel restaurateur Areas has expanded its food & beverage brand portfolio with the launch of a Cojean outlet at Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris.
The venue at France’s third-busiest rail station is the first from a series of Cojean restaurant openings planned with the brand and commercial operations partner Klépierre.
Cojean operates a chain of nearly 40 outlets across key French cities and makes its travel environment debut with this opening. Its staple food offer is sandwiches, salads, desserts, pastries and baked goods.
A pioneer of ‘fast good’ since 2001, Cojean was the first fast-food company in France to be certified as a B-Corporation.
The company earned this status through strong commitments to environmental and social responsibility, Areas noted. These include the use of a wide range of organic and fair-trade hot beverages; using products from sustainable fishing; reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging; and initiatives to combat food waste.
Cojean offers recipes – including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options – made from fresh, seasonal ingredients. Its dishes, which, according to Areas “combine nutritional balance, flavour and originality”, are designed to appeal to customers seeking healthy and varied cuisine throughout the day.
Areas France Concepts & Standards Director Charles Dassonville said: “We are delighted to welcome Cojean to our brand portfolio. This partnership aligns with our ambition to offer varied and responsible culinary experiences to the millions of travellers who visit our spaces each year.
“Today primarily known to city dwellers, Cojean is entering the world of travel retail and has the opportunity to showcase its products and expertise to a wider audience, within one of Europe’s busiest train stations. We are happy to support them on this journey.”
Cojean President Thomas Pluchart said: “We are pleased to collaborate with Areas for this exciting venture into travel retail. Cojean is a brand built on strong human and progressive convictions, always aiming to offer healthy, delicious and responsible cuisine, where goodness and wellbeing go hand in hand.
“As we approach 2025, this brand philosophy is stronger than ever. This new chapter allows us to share our commitments and recipes with an even wider audience. We are confident that our shared values, such as environmental respect and quality, will resonate with travellers seeking a gourmet and responsible break.”
Two additional Cojean openings from the Areas-Klépierre partnership are already planned for other Paris rail stations, one in early 2025 and another during 2026.
Gare Saint-Lazare is one of the seven large mainline railway station terminals in Paris and was the first to open, in 1837. Welcoming an average of 290,000 passengers a day, the travel hub mostly serves train services to the French capital city’s western suburbs, as well as intercity services towards Normandy using the Paris–Le Havre railway. 
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