Cozey: Innovation without borders

Trust as a pillar of collaboration

With a degree in finance and economics from McGill University, Frédéric launched his career at Tonus Capital, a Montréal investment fund. But in the middle of the pandemic—while he was still a student—he founded Cozey. It was a simple yet promising idea: a solid sofa with a minimalist design, competitively priced, easy to assemble and deliverable by courier. He quickly put together a team. He turned to one of his mentors, Dominic Létourneau. After mulling things over for a few months, Dominic signed on as a partner, becoming the company’s first employee.

Through the mid-market company offering, La Caisse teamed up with Cozey nearly two years after its launch. At that time, the company was at a turning point: it needed a financial partner with a far-reaching vision, able to provide long-term support. La Caisse’s patient capital model was a natural fit. In addition to a $10 million investment, La Caisse supported Cozey in updating its governance and management practices.

At first, the company did not have a Board of Directors, but La Caisse helped it set one up. The Board is made up of experienced directors supportive of management’s strategic reflections, particularly in the areas of logistics and marketing.

“I was looking for a strategic partner that would respect our autonomy. La Caisse is there to support us when required, but gives us the space we need to move forward. This approach fosters our growth as well as establishing ourselves as a serious player.”
— Frédéric Aubé, president and founder of Cozey

A well designed and well-executed business model

When selecting a new location, Cozey leaves nothing to chance. Various criteria are taken into consideration, including demographics, language, regulatory frameworks and consumer patterns. If a market looks promising, a pop-up store is set up for six to nine months so consumers have a chance to see, touch and try out the products. Those efforts are supported by digital marketing, social media and collaborations with influencers. If the response is favourable, a permanent store is opened.

Today, Cozey currently has around 300 employees across Canada and the United States, as well as six distribution centres, and will have six stores by the end of the year. This summer, the company will open a store in Montréal, where a number of new products will be on offer, including a collection of beds.

The benefits of networking

In addition to providing financial support, La Caisse serves as a catalyst for making connections within its business ecosystem. For Cozey, these introductions open new doors, fast-track certain decisions and strengthen strategic links across Canada and around the world. Concrete support to expand the Cozey brand

“In our U.S. expansion, we are working with another portfolio company while benefiting from strategic business relationships in Mexico, where we launched our manufacturing operations in late 2023. Having access to a solid network is a real growth driver for us.”
— Frédéric Aubé, president and founder of Cozey

Going international step-by-step

Cozey’s international expansion began in June with the launch of its U.S. site and the opening of an East Coast distribution centre in New Jersey. Today, the U.S. market accounts for nearly 40% of the company’s revenues.

Cozey’s expansion is a step-by-step process, following a clearly defined road map. In April 2026, Cozey plans to enter the market in Sydney, Australia. The U.K. is among the company’s priorities for 2027, followed by certain European markets in 2028. Asia is in the company’s sights for 2030.

“My long-term ambition is for Cozey to become an international ambassador for Québec—like IKEA is for Sweden! We’re ambitious and motivated, and we have a promising timeline.”
— Frédéric Aubé, president and founder of Cozey