History of Sanrival
The history of the company begins in the 1930s. My grandfather, Robert Hoogstoël, helped his mother run a hardware store facing the Saint-Denis market (photo above). Later, he went to work at the factory. At that time, Ile-de-France factory workers always ate a snack for lunch and never hot meals, due to a lack of means. My energetic and strong-willed grandfather Robert then invented the enamel lunchbox (gamelle) which made it possible to reheat the previous day's dishes.
He chose to call it the SANRIVAL fricot box.
Very quickly, the lunchbox met with great success and became part of working-class culture. This is why most of us born in the 1960s know this old product, which is still sold on Amazon and Leboncoin.
An excerpt from the company's deed of incorporation and a souvenir photo of its signing can be seen opposite.
The company was managed by Robert and his wife Simonne Hoogstoël (on the left) and located in Paris in the 11th arrondissement near Boulevard Voltaire.
The first advertisements were put up and as you can see, they were orange in color. It is important for me to follow the guidelines of my grandparents and I pay tribute to them with small details that are of great importance, such as naming the company SANRIVAL and keeping orange as a reference color.
To survive, we need to diversify.
The rise of a single-product manufacturing company is economically a dangerous choice and it becomes mandatory in the 1960s to diversify. The production of "Household Warehouses" extends into the field of snails and scallops. Field in which the company becomes a leader on the French market with its patented snail footprint, invented by Robert Hoogstoël. Instead of being placed on a round, the snail is stuck in its footprint and thus does not tip when reheating. The marbled garlic butter does not end up on the burnt plate, but remains in the snail warm.
The range of various items in enamelled sheet metal is expanded
Cutting and stamping tools are invested to produce electric plate covers, square and extendable tripods, pans, cat litter trays, egg dishes, heat diffusers. Each product is offered in stainless steel and enameled sheet of multiple colors and decorated.
The table-top electric snail maker
Robert Hoogstoël invents and patents an electric device intended for reheating snails with parsley garlic butter, but which can also serve as a dish warmer. This device was very appreciated by the Heliciculteurs because it allowed them to easily taste their snails. An electrical outlet was enough. Snail lovers still call me every year to find out if I have any left of these snails. Unfortunately, the manufacturing tool has been destroyed and it is only possible to find it at flea markets.
A page turns
In the 1980s, the various workshops were brought together in a single establishment at Sainte Genneviève des Bois. Mr. Hoogstoël died in 1992 and left the management of the company to his wife Simone Hoogstoël and his son-in-law Mr. Alain Clavier. I join the family team and diversification is intensifying. Enamel items are complemented with porcelain and textile items to offer its customers complete ranges of derived products.
Depuis sa création la société se rapprochait de ses clients en exposant d'abord aux Arts Ménagers à la Défense puis ensuite au Salon Maison & Objet à Villepinte jusqu’aux années 2000.
The Latest Relay
In 2002, Mr. Clavier retires and the factory of Sainte Genneviève des bois closes its doors. I take over, continue the adventure, transform "Les Entrepôts Ménagers" into a company called "SAnrival" and open a small workshop at the bottom of a pretty wood. In 2017, the company SAnrival bought the business fund Totem Création from Mrs. Chaleyssin. This is how the range of Maison plates has grown.
Today the activity is centered on decorated house numbers and plaques, small enamel labels as in the old days, heart-shaped funeral plates, souvenir and gift plates from Paris, thermometers and of course all other standard enamel plates.
Similarly, custom enamelling is always carried out for special orders. I would also like to thank my clients, such as tourist and gastronomy guides, museums, stores, ironmongers, shoemakers, jewelry designers, decorators, restorers of old establishments, and the few small souvenir shops that resist and still buy from French manufacturers.