What do you do when you realize that finding well-made cycling clothes involves running a kind of obstacle course? Well, twins Véronik and Michèle Bastien addressed the problem this way: they founded Peppermint Cycling, a company driven by innovation and the development of women-specific products, launched in April 2016. It established its offices in the Village sector to take advantage of Mont-Tremblant’s ascendancy as a North-American cycling crossroads.

Easy, right? Well, wait till I tell you about the fire….

Véronik says that the idea of launching Peppermint Cycling took root during a cycling trip the two sisters did in Europe, in July 2015. A friend travelling with them had some problems due to her inexperience, but her fears pretty much evaporated when she realized how good she looked in her cycling outfit.

“I saw her take pride in her appearance and that seemed to give her confidence for the rest of the trip. That was the trigger for Michèle and me,” Véronik explains.

As soon as they got back, the twins, who were working full out in marketing and communication at the time, got out the drawing board and created their business plan. Peppermint Cycling became a reality in April 2016, less than eight months later. The company provides advice, sells directly to consumers and follows up purchases on the internet. A Quebec workshop makes the clothes and the fabrics come from Italy. Because this is 2018, the social networks are pivotal to the Peppermint model.

“We want to redefine women’s cycling experience,” says Véronik. “Our primary objective is to create a brand and a community in which women recognize themselves and feel comfortable. It goes beyond selling products. Peppermint is there before, during and after the purchase.”

“Part of our customer group is made up of women who have just discovered the bicycle. They are joining the movement because of the lifestyle, which Peppermint promotes because it sells the clothing,” adds Laurier Balthazard, formerly with Louis Garneau and an associate partner with Peppermint since last fall.

After a first year of sales that met their expectations, the Bastien twins moved their business from Montreal to Mont-Tremblant in September 2017, particularly because they had been coming to the area as weekenders almost forever. “Here we’re right in the heart of a cycling, athletics model,” says Véronik. “It was important to get closer to an environment that would inspire us.”

Then, only a month later, a fire destroyed the building in which Peppermint (and Tremblant Express) were housed, on chemin du Village. “We lost everything,” Veronik remembers. “The entire contents of the warehouse went up in smoke.”

The twins rolled up their sleeves. Bastien arrived as the reinforcements, the business plan was reviewed and improved, and Peppermint successfully fulfilled its orders in time for Christmas.

And now? “Sales grew 300 per cent between the second and third years and we anticipate the same growth for 2018,” Véronik remarks. “Peppermint has California, Texas and Florida in its sights, employs four people full-time, expects to do more hiring shortly and has ‘big ambitions’ ”, says Bastien, summing it up.