Goose Fat & Grit: How Stéphanie Denet Rebuilt Her Life from the Ashes

When Stéphanie Denet fled her marriage with three young children, no home, and an empty bank account, survival—not success—was her only focus. But what began as a desperate search for stability transformed into an extraordinary entrepreneurial journey that would take her from Paris to the kitchens of France’s top restaurant chains. Armed with resilience, resourcefulness, and an unexpected opportunity involving goose fat, Stéphanie built a thriving business and a new life, proving that sometimes, rock bottom is the strongest foundation of all.
Today, she’s not only a mother of six and a successful food industry entrepreneur—she’s a living testament to the power of reinvention. Stéphanie’s story is one of courage, creativity, and the fierce determination to rise when everything around you falls apart.

You’ve lived in Paris, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, and Moscow — how have these international experiences shaped your worldview and influenced the way you approach business and relationships today?

Before I left London to go to Delhi, an acquaintance living in India, told me not to compare with my country and not to take stock of the 4 first months, maximise my experience by meeting people, travelling, and discovering. That’s the best way to learn and enjoy what is different from your world.  

In England, the positive education of the British, which involves constantly affirming that we are wonderful, puts people very much at ease. I prefer to hear my work is Masterful, even if I am aware it is a little exaggerated!  I highlight my clients and suppliers just like my friends, making the discussion much more pleasant.

 In India, I also learned flexibility and handling the unexpected. In France, official appointments are planned very long in advance; in India, it was common for events to be planned at the last minute. This flexibility teaches me to remain agile and adapt quickly to changes, a vital skill in an ever-evolving professional environment.

In Russia, after 70 years of Soviet rule, I discovered a strong sense of solidarity among people. I learned not to judge by first impressions and that studying should be approached with dedication rather than as mere entertainment. For instance, if a child learns figure skating, they persist through tears and repeated attempts until they succeed. So my work must not just be a hobby, but I must be the best, like the ice skaters!

Since I was staying only 3 years in each country, establishing myself in such a short time requires a lot of energy at the beginning to have an overview of the Country very quickly so that you can enjoy it to the maximum of time. It is a sort of resilience that is crucial in handling the ups and downs of business and life. But above all, it brings a lot of Joy in discovering new people, environments, languages, religion, climate, social life..…. it made me constantly curious to discover new clients or suppliers and understanding their background, and a real joy in each professional or personal meeting. 

You moved from a corporate marketing role into entrepreneurship in a niche industry — meat wholesale. What gave you the confidence to enter such a male-dominated and unfamiliar field, and how did you acquire the necessary industry knowledge so quickly?

I didn’t know it before but Entrepreneurship was the solution for a women like me. With entrepreneurship, you can work whenever and wherever you want, so I can be at home if necessary for my kids, which allows me to adjust my schedule and take breaks to focus on priorities. If I have to bring a kid to the doctor, I make my deals in the doctor’s waiting room. If I want to go to exhibitions, I can step out for a minute and make my deal. I just need my mobile and my computer. My best deal was at The Louvre museum : 15  trucks of geese in one phone call!  

Entering a male-dominated field is great because it can make people change their outlook on women.  I think people like diversity, and compared to their usual contact person, I am a woman, well-mannered, which is quite pleasant.  I am persistent and focused on my ideas, and people can see that I am passionate about what I do. Since I have evolved in a world of hushed diplomacy, I know how to say things that are not always pleasant to hear, while keeping a smile on my face and remaining polite, which makes a change from the arm wrestling that can go on between guys.

When I decided to set up my own company, I first called a former colleague who had set up his own company to share his experience with me. It turned out that he’d started with his best friend, a meat wholesaler. As I knew the restaurant chains well, having had them as customers, I suggested working with his friend. The next day, he called me to set up a partnership. I’d find the customer, he’d find the supplier, and we’d split the margin. We hit it off. At each meeting, my partner gave me the language I needed to be taken seriously by the customers – it was a kind of training course, and I wrote down everything. Then my first major client was a food industry professional who produced canned goods. I sold them goose fat, but it took 1 month of referencing, which was my real training. The first order was an order of one truck of 20 tons of goose fat. The client ordered 1 pallet test and I had to pass on a huge amount of information on health and safety, microbiological analyses, heavy metals, traceability tests, and translate everything from Hungarian to French, which enabled me to make my training and develop a smooth and trusting relationship with my partners.

I was on the phone every day with the customer’s and supplier’s quality managers. So I had learned which elements were essential for referencing in a large group.  Then I just had to duplicate. They used the goose fat to make a recipe called “cassoulet”. I wrote “cassoulet“ on the internet and called all the French companies that make this recipe. It worked because my partner trusted me, and vice versa, having been introduced by someone we both trusted. We have established an effective working relationship, even though we didn’t come from the same world, he was the son of a cattle farmer going from one slaughterhouse to another, and I was coming from Paris and going from one global city to another.

You played a central role in sourcing suppliers internationally and building a strong client network in France. Can you walk us through your strategic approach to market research, negotiation, and building trust across borders?

It was very simple to find the customers: I was already connected to French restaurant chains and for new clients I look up the purchasing manager on LinkedIn, arrange to get the same contact as his. Once I had around 10 common contacts, I contacted him, and he referred me to his meat buyer. The meat buyer received me with the utmost consideration, having been recommended by his boss.

My first client was looking for goose and duck melted fat in short supply since there was the bird flu all over Europe. My partner expert in beef and veal European trading didn’t find any. So, I watched on the internet which country was breeding ducks and geese.

Sourcing of qualified suppliers is my secret garden and most of the time, I contact them in their native languages. 

I was very lucky because thanks to my secret way of sourcing, my first supplier had good sanitary quality and good specifications. My supplier trusts me because I always contact them when there is an order at the end, and the same thing, my clients trust me because I usually find the meat articles even if there is short supply. If I encounter a problem, I do not hesitate to discuss it and propose alternatives. My clients and suppliers are very pragmatic which creates a dynamical relation a consensual work relationship. This is crucial for long-term success. After all, I am very reactive and can very quickly find some solutions. For example, the chicken filet price is getting very high in Europe since there is again an avian flu. I saw that two countries were not touched, so I contacted my secret network, found some good slaughterhouses with good quality and volume, and with much cheaper prices. My clients are happy with that.

Since the creation of SD Appro, I have visited important slaughterhouses and obtained my agricultural baccalaureate (A-Level equivalent) to better understand the challenges of the meat trade.

As a mother of six, including four teenagers, how do you balance the intense demands of running a business with your family life, and what does leadership mean to you, both at home and in your company?

The first year of my second marriage, I had to develop my business, look after the children, do the homework, cook all the meals for 8 people every day, empty the machines and struggle to get everyone to “help”. That word has disappeared, we don’t “help” Mum, which means that the others are very nice because it’s not their role, but mine to give all my time and energy for them.  Today, we are all “participating”. My daughter one day gave me the book “Le prix à payer: Ce que le couple hétéro coûte aux femmes” (translation: The Price to Pay: What Straight Couples Cost Women “by Lucile Quillet, saying “Maman, read this book, it’s a resume of your life!” There is an example of a diplomat’s wife who put an end to her career to support her husband taking care of her children, finding herself at the end all alone with her young children and having to sublet her apartment on Airbnb to support her family. My life exactly! When I read this book, I decided that we could do things differently. From now on, each resident of my house has an evening where he or she prepares the entire dinner, sets the table and has a morning where he empties the machine. I am in charge on Thursday evening, and my husband is on Sunday evenings; the rest of the time, we take care of our professional opportunities and our leisure activities. Like the other residents! The first day we set this up, I came home fulfilled and with a smile, which was good for the whole family and my career! I inspired a lot of friends who are doing the same now!

I do Leadership by example: I work hard so that I can enjoy during holidays. Leadership by example also includes honesty, integrity, and respect. I think that at the office and home, my relationship is based on these 3 elements. At home and in my work, there are no disrespectful phrases. If I hear a disrespectful phrase, I will try to make the person understand that it is not nice or funny. What I notice is that by setting an example, people are very respectful at work, even though it is a world of men, and you can have a big prejudice about their education.

From being a guest in other cultures to becoming a pillar of your community through SD Appro, what legacy do you hope to leave, both as a mother and as a businesswoman?

Firstly, I aspire to be remembered for my commitment to hospitality and cultural exchange. I hope to convince those I meet that hospitality has the power to build bridges between different worlds. By welcoming others into our lives and embracing diverse cultures, we foster understanding and mutual respect. This openness enriches us, broadening our perspectives and making us more empathetic individuals.

As a mother, I strive to install independence and resilience in my daughters. I encourage them to never stop working towards their goals and to create loving homes where they can find balance and support. I persude them to use their intelligence for the greater good, and I urge them to ignore those who harbor negativity and prejudice. By focusing on positivity and personal growth, they can overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams.

With SD Appro, I hope my client will remember another way of working by building bridges between agricultural and diplomatic worlds. 

I hope to inspire others to embrace hospitality, independence, and cultural understanding, leaving a lasting impact on those around me.

Your story includes moments of incredible resilience — from escaping a crisis with your children to rebuilding from nothing. Looking back, what was the most pivotal decision you made that changed the course of your life?

When I realized that my three daughters were suffering due to the tense situation between their parents, I reflected on myself and thought, “What kind of example am I setting for my daughters, 3 future women in progress? I am a woman, not respected by her husband.  I am not working, I am depending on a man geographically, socially, and financially. A man that believes that in real life, there is room for a wife, children, and a mistress. These dynamics were not healthy and were affecting my beautiful creatures. Despite months of trying to improve our family situation, it became clear that change requires mutual effort.

I decided it was best to take a step back and leave with my children. I gathered their passports, picked them up from school on the last day before the holidays, and headed to the airport. As we were about to depart, their father arrived, but the process was already underway. We were separated by the barrier that divides the international zone from the rest of the airport. I explained the situation to the airport officials, and they understood my need to leave.

It was a difficult decision, but I believed it was necessary for the well-being of our children, and I was saved!

What’s next for you and SD Appro? Are there new markets, products, or projects you’re excited to explore in the coming years — either professionally or personally?

I have several projects. I would like to set up direct sales to French embassies abroad They purchase typically French items such as foie gras and wine, domains in which I have many suppliers. 

I would also like to develop sales of French products for export to EU customers. I have already started this business with a totally reliable partner I have been working with since the beginning of my activity. He knows very well all the French suppliers and is a very pleasant person to work with.

Also In my personal life, there’s a charming house in Normandy that’s the centre of a lot of activity! It’s a wonderful endeavour, and the whole family is quite fond of the place. I am considering developing professional opportunities in the region.