About Us
Group Lafitte
Lafitte It shares a long and fruitful history with the cork industry.
It all began more than a century ago, in 1918, when the Lafitte family opened its first cork stopper production facility in southwestern France, a region of magnificent vineyards and winemaking areas.
350.000.000
Cork stoppers produced annually
1.800.000.000
Capsules produced annually
11
Production units
+6000
Customers worldwide
Our history.
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![Lafitte's first cork stopper factory, in Toulouse, in southwestern France]()
1918: Where it all begins.
Lafitte 's first cork stopper production facility was established in Toulouse, in southwestern France.
Later, that same facility also housed the “Collège Metalco Emballages,” a stopper factory. This marked the beginning of Lafitte's long period of expansion, which continues to this day. -
![An aerial photograph of the cork oak forests of Alentejo]()
1956: Mounted from Portugal.
The ever-present desire to grow led Lafitte to establish a production facility in Portugal—Casa do Montado—and become the world’s largest exporter of cork. This enabled Lafitte to effectively control the high-quality raw material used in its corks: Portuguese cork.
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![Lafitte 's Cork and Capsule facilities in Napa, California]()
1982: (Re)born in the United States.
To meet the needs of the North American market, Jacques and Jean-François Lafitte crossed the pond and opened “Lafitte , Cork and Capsules” in the renowned wine region of Napa Valley, California.
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![Lafitte 's facilities in Cork, Chile]()
2001: Heading south.
In September 2001, the Lafitte group expanded its market to Chile, bringing with it its cutting-edge technology and more than 80 years of experience. This led to the founding of Lafitte Chile y Cía. Ltda., which established its plant in Santiago, equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure for cork processing.
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![An example of the capsules sold by Lafitte in Chile]()
2009: Leading the way.
At first, Lafitte Chile focused exclusively on cork stoppers, but later, in response to its customers’ needs, it began producing capsules. Over the years, its growth has made it the leader in the South American capsule market.
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![A single molding machine used in the production of micro-agglomerated cork stoppers.]()
2012: Technically speaking.
In Portugal, Jean-François Lafitte and François-Marie Lafitte invested in the production of micro-agglomerated stoppers using a molding process. Although we entered the world of agglomerates a little late, our passion and innovation enabled us to quickly compete with the market leaders.
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![A set of five natural cork stoppers, treated with PerfectGO]()
2016: All for perfection.
Our commitment to preserving wine in perfect condition led to the creation of PerfectGO: a system that enables the individual analysis of undetectable levels of TCA (trichloroanisole) in corks.
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![Agglomerated cork stopper for sparkling wine]()
2020: Ready to celebrate.
In 2020, Lafitte acquired Mundial Cork, a brand specializing in cork stoppers for sparkling wines with many years of experience. With the addition of Mundial Cork, Lafitte also gained the company’s in-depth knowledge of the product and how to make it stand out.
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![Set of natural cork stoppers in the foreground with blurred cork stoppers sorted in the background]()
Five generations, and counting.
Five generations later, the Lafitte family continues to serve the wine industry by producing corks of unparalleled quality. We will continue to grow through research, innovation, and the vertical integration of our production process.
The values
from Lafitte.
Mission
Adding value to cork—a natural product of excellence—guaranteeing quality and exceeding all expectations in a sustainable, competitive, and innovative way.
Vision
Over the next decade, Lafitte aims to be: a preferred partner in the world’s major wine markets; a leader in the quality of the products it distributes across all markets.
High-quality cork stoppers.
Lafitte . works in continuous synergy to optimize its research and development processes, thereby enhancing its industrial know-how and offering better services and products.
This is reflected in the countless technological advances made over the years to ensure that our customers receive high-quality cork stoppers that are free of TCA and unwanted aromas, without sacrificing the benefits of a classic cork stopper.
Just like fine wine, the history of the Lafitte Group also improves with time. As the guardians of a family-run business venture, we continue to evolve, pushing the boundaries of quality and innovation.
We combine the impeccable qualities of natural cork with innovative production methods to create products that meet the highest standards of quality and demand. The physical properties of natural cork make it an excellent partner in the aging and evolution of wine. These same properties reduce the risk of oxidation, while respecting the aromatic identity of the wine.
A pioneer in the wine closure industry, the Lafitte Group places research and development of innovative solutions at the heart of its business. This innovation is achieved through our ongoing efforts to maximize the benefits of cork. “ PerfectGO,” a major innovation developed by the group, analyzes and selects neutral cork to ensure a perfect tasting experience.
Our natural cork stoppers are sourced from Lafitte Cork Portugal and are then finished, refined, and marked in Chile. They undergo the most rigorous testing both at the source and in our own laboratory, fully meeting our customers’ requirements.
Because “El corcho tiene su marca” at Lafitte Chile, we are committed to providing the best service combined with the highest quality. That is why, in January 2004, we became the first cork manufacturer to achieve ISO 9001 certification.
In March 2022, we became the first cork manufacturer to be certified BRCGS Packaging Materials in Chile.
High-performance capsules.
Lafitte Chile Planta de Cápsulas began operations in Santiago, Chile, in August 2009, and its strategic location allows us to offer a viable packaging alternative for wineries in Chile, Argentina, and South America.
We are backed by our parent company,“Coliège Metalco Emballages,” which has been supplying the French, Spanish, Italian, and U.S. markets for more than 50 years. Currently, the Lafitte Group produces more than 500 million composite capsules, 200 million PVC capsules, and 60 million tin and aluminum capsules.
At Lafitte Chile, we have 3 rotary printing presses and 10 forming machines, which allow us to respond promptly to our customers’ needs and give us the flexibility to create new projects in as little as 12 days.
Our human capital is undoubtedly our greatest strength. We have a team of technicians with more than 20 years of experience, extensive expertise in sales and after-sales service, a highly qualified Quality Department, and a transportation system that allows us to deliver our products to your warehouses.
We are committed to honoring and protecting nature.
Customer service and dedication.
Remaining committed at all times to our customers and their success, we strive to be global leaders in the wine industry. With extensive experience in the production of corks and capsules, we continue to raise the bar in wine and spirits packaging. Our success is essentially due to the thousands of strong relationships—based on mutual trust—that we have built with each of our customers around the world. The Lafitte Group positions itself as a partner in your success and remains dedicated to supporting your ambitions.
Today, we bring together the best international “know-how” in both product categories: the production of cork stoppers and the printing and molding of capsules for wines, spirits, olive oils, and vinegar. The Lafitte Group manufactures a wide range of products, offering solutions to its customers, and takes pride in maintaining the same level of precision and quality throughout the design and manufacturing processes.
Lafitte Bartop.
Grupon's most recent acquisition Lafitte was the company “RCP International SA,” which specializes in the manufacture of encapsulated caps and is the originator of Lafitte Bartop.
Lafitte Bartop is a high-end bar-top stopper designed for luxury spirits, oils, and vinegars.
