Julie Chapon is the co-founder of Yuka, the mobile application that allows users to scan food and cosmetic products in order to obtain clear information on the impact of a product on health. An app that has captured the hearts of the French. Zoom in on the journey of this entrepreneur.
Have you ever heard of Yuka? This application tends to change the habits of consumers, but also those of manufacturers. What is Yuka’s recipe for success? A profoundly eco-friendly approach from its founders, Julie Chapon, François and Benoit Martin, which has attracted many consumers, so much so that the brand has developed internationally.
Julie Chapon’s journey
The entrepreneur, now 35 years old, completed an economic and commercial preparatory class at the Lycée Sainte-Croix in Neuilly. At the end of her preparatory class, the young woman joined EDHEC in Lille, where she obtained a Master’s degree in management and marketing.
However, nothing destined Julie Chapon to become an entrepreneur. For good reason, once her studies are completed, she joins a consulting firm (Wavestone) to support large companies in their digital transformation. “ I told myself that consulting would allow me to touch a little of everything and find my way “, she explains. “ This was not the case. After five years, I felt lost », she adds to the media Madame Le Figaro.
Julie Chapon and the origins of the Yuka project
It is in the spring of 2016 that the destiny of Julie Chapon, François and Benoit Martin will change. In fact, his two friends suggested that he take part in a hackathon. The latter’s objective is to develop an IT project over a weekend. The three friends came up with the idea of a connected object in the shape of a carrot, allowing them to decipher the labels of food products.
This is how this “intelligent vegetable” won the hackathon and above all how the idea of Yuka was born. “ Everyone told us that we also needed to be able to analyze our purchases directly at the supermarket, and not at home. This is how our carrot became an application », indicates Julie Chapon.
Following this event, the three friends decided to focus 100% on the development of the Yuka application. This is how, six months later, the three entrepreneurs launched their startup, which would subsequently experience resounding success.
Yuka: a success in France and internationally
When it was launched in 2017, Yuka enjoyed immediate success with French consumers. They will quickly request the integration of cosmetic and hygiene products into the app. Two years later, Yuka launched a premium version of its application, which allows it to become 100% financially independent so as not to depend on brands or manufacturers.
It was at this same period that the application was launched internationally, particularly in Europe, in countries such as Germany, Italy, Belgium, etc. Building on their international success, the three entrepreneurs developed the book Yuka which provides advice for healthy eating. Like their mobile application, the book was a real success, selling more than 100,000 copies.
Yuka also participated in the democratization of the eco-score which allows you to know the environmental impact of products. The application has allowed many consumers to change their eating habits, but above all it has forced many manufacturers to modify the composition of their products. With its 30 million users and its success in Europe, Yuka now wants to establish itself in the United States in order to improve the eating habits of Americans.
