The Hygie31 retail group, known for the Lafayette Pharmacies, is continuing to transform its websites, driven by Cocooncenter. Thanks to an AI strategy and a fully redesigned IT architecture, it can now internalise the development of several software building blocks and launch into new countries. Hugues Chanoine, Managing Director of the Hygie31 Digital subsidiary, shares with mind Retail his vision and choices in terms of technological revamps and sovereignty, with the ambition of shifting e-commerce navigation to a 100% conversational mode.
Hygie31 Digital has just expanded internationally. How was AI decisive in this move?
Since April 2026, 20 years after its launch, our Cocooncenter website is active in 19 countries. Today, 40% of our turnover comes from international markets. Whereas it took 17 years to launch in 7 countries – France, UK, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Poland -, thanks to artificial intelligence, we made inroads in 12 markets in 3 months. AI allowed us to accelerate at lower cost by automating customer servi
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