La Trappe à Fromage
La Trappe à Fromage is a Gatineau-based artisanal cheese producer and gourmet food retailer, founded in 1995, operating seven retail locations across the Outaouais region to serve individual consumers, catering clients, and dine-in guests.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersQuebec, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What La Trappe à Fromage does
La Trappe à Fromage is an artisanal cheese producer and specialty gourmet food retailer headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec. Founded in 1995 by Gilles Joanisse and Mario Hébert, the company operates an 11,000-square-foot production facility that processes approximately 1,750 kg of cheese daily from more than 4.4 million liters of locally sourced Outaouais milk annually. Its own-label range spans fresh cheeses — including the Squick Squick cheese curd recognized with a 2006 CASEUS d'Or award for best fresh cheese curd in Quebec — cheddars, and fine aged varieties, sold alongside a curated assortment of more than 350 Quebec and international cheeses, charcuterie, microbrewery beers, and fine groceries.
The company sells to individual gourmet consumers primarily through seven owned retail locations across the Outaouais region — Gatineau, Hull, Aylmer, Chelsea, Masson-Angers, Val-des-Monts, and the factory boutique — augmented by an online ordering platform with in-store pickup. Secondary revenue lines include private and corporate catering services and an affiliated Trappe à Poutine restaurant concept that extends the brand into foodservice. Production capacity was tripled with the late-2019 facility build-out, and ~$2M in cumulative government grants (a 2018 federal grant of C$442,755 and a C$750,000 CED-QR grant plus accompanying funding in October 2024) have funded ongoing automation, digitalization, and capacity expansion. The company employs roughly 65 people across production, retail, catering, and restaurant operations and is positioning for a flagship renovation at its Gatineau store beginning May 2026.
La Trappe à Fromage firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- La Trappe à Fromage
- Legal name
- La Trappe à Fromage
- Website
- https://trappeafromage.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- La Trappe à Fromage is a Gatineau-based artisanal cheese producer and gourmet food retailer, founded in 1995, operating seven retail locations across the Outaouais region to serve individual consumers, catering clients, and dine-in guests.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
La Trappe à Fromage industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisan Cheese Production and Gourmet Food Retail
- NAICS
- Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)
- SIC
- Dairy Products (2020), Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)
Keywords
Where La Trappe à Fromage is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Quebec
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
La Trappe à Fromage business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Retail Store Sales (In-Store Purchases): Sale of freshly made cheeses, fine groceries, charcuterie, microbrewery beers, and prepared foods directly to consumers at seven physical retail locations across the Outaouais region.
- E-Commerce / Online Store: Online ordering with in-store pickup at any of the seven locations. Covers the same product categories as retail stores.
- Catering & Event Services: Custom catering for corporate events, private dinners, weddings, and virtual events. Offers cheese and charcuterie platters, canapés, sandwiches, salads, and desserts prepared by an in-house chef. Also rents raclette machines.
- Specialty & Imported Fine Food Resale: Resale of over 300 Quebec cheeses and 350+ cheeses from around the world, imported fine grocery items, microbrewery beers, and charcuterie products sourced from external producers.
- Restaurant / Food Service (Trappe à Poutine): Full-service restaurant at 490 Chem. Industriel offering breakfast, a snack bar/poutine counter, and an ice cream shop (Crèmerie La Trappe).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cold Canapés ($3.25–$5.50) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hot Canapés ($3.25–$4.40) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sandwiches ($4.75–$5.50) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Salads and Extras ($3.00–$9.65) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
La Trappe à Fromage product offering
Product offeringCore offering
La Trappe à Fromage is an artisan cheesemaker and gourmet food retailer that produces fresh cheeses daily from 100% local Outaouais milk at its Gatineau production plant and sells them alongside over 350 Quebec and European cheeses, fine groceries, charcuterie, and microbrewery beers through seven retail boutiques, an e-commerce store with in-store pickup, a catering service, and the Trappe à Poutine restaurant concept in the Outaouais region of Quebec.
Product overview
La Trappe à Fromage is an artisanal cheese factory and gourmet food retailer operating as a single unified business with multiple retail locations and an online store. The company produces its own line of fresh artisanal cheeses (including the signature Squick Squick cheese curds and L'Attrappe Coeur) at its Gatineau production plant, while also curating over 350 imported and Quebec cheeses. Additional offerings include fine groceries, charcuterie, local microbrewery beers, and a full catering service. The Trappe à Poutine sub-brand operates as an on-site restaurant concept featuring poutine and grilled-cheese specialties. All products are available across seven retail locations throughout the Outaouais region and via online ordering.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- L'Attrappe Coeur: A flowery rind cheese with a cream-colored paste, varying from chalky to creamy texture. Named from a play on words: La Trappe and heart. Available in 180 gram wheel shaped like a heart.
Products and services
- House-Made Artisan Cheeses (Les fromages La Trappe)
- Quebec Cheeses (Les fromages québécois)
- Fine Groceries (Épicerie fine)
- Charcuterie Products
- Microbrewery Beers, Ciders, Cocktails, and Wines
- Catering Service (Service traiteur)
- Trappe à Poutine Restaurant
- L'Attrappe Coeur
- Squick Squick Cheese Curds
- Online Store (Boutique en ligne)
Quantifiable outcome
- CASEUS d'Or winner 2006 — Best fresh cheese curd in Quebec (Squick Squick cheese curds)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use La Trappe à Fromage
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
La Trappe à Fromage technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
La Trappe à Fromage partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Local Outaouais Dairy FarmscoreLa Trappe à Fromage sources 100% of its milk from local Outaouais farms, transforming over 4,400,000 litres annually. The company bears the effigy of Canadian dairy farmers and is a significant supporter of the local agricultural economy.
- Microbrewery Partners (5e Baron, Gallicus, La Dérive, Montebello, Chelsea & Co, Brasseurs des Collines)minorLa Trappe à Fromage offers a curated selection of craft beers from local Outaouais and Quebec microbreweries including 5e Baron, Gallicus, La Dérive, Montebello, Chelsea & Co, and Brasseurs des Collines at select store locations.
- Moisson OutaouaisminorLa Trappe à Fromage works alongside Moisson Outaouais (food bank) as part of its social cause initiatives, supporting food security in the region.
- Vallée jeunesseminorLa Trappe à Fromage partners with Vallée jeunesse for food evening events supporting youth in the community.
- CentraideminorLa Trappe à Fromage supports Centraide (United Way) as part of its community engagement and social cause program.
- Fondation Santé GatineauminorLa Trappe à Fromage partners with Fondation Santé Gatineau as part of its social cause and community support initiatives.
- Mathieu Froment Savoie HouseminorLa Trappe à Fromage works alongside Mathieu Froment Savoie House (community organization) as part of its social cause initiatives.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
La Trappe à Fromage competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fromagerie La Chaudière: Quebec artisan cheese producer distributing through Quebec specialty grocers and cheese shops. Comparable as a Quebec artisan cheesemaker in the same CASEUS-award competition set as La Trappe à Fromage.
- Le Fromagier: Quebec specialty cheese retailer/wholesaler offering a wide selection of Quebec and imported artisan cheeses to retail and food-service customers. Comparable as a Quebec cheese specialty retailer with curated multi-producer assortment and B2B/wholesale supply.
- Fromagerie du Presbytère: Award-winning Quebec artisan cheese producer (multiple CASEUS awards) known for raw-milk cheeses sold through Quebec specialty retail. Comparable as a Quebec award-winning artisan cheesemaker serving similar gourmet retail channels.
- Fromagerie Saint-Guillaume: Quebec artisan cheese producer serving the specialty gourmet retail channel. Directly comparable as a Quebec-based artisan cheese maker with multi-SKU offerings in fine grocery and cheese shop channels.
- Fromagerie de l'Abbaye (Saint-Benoît-du-Lac): Quebec Benedictine monastery producing artisan cheeses distributed across Quebec specialty retail. Directly comparable as a Quebec artisan cheese producer with multi-SKU specialty offerings and a regional/Quebec retail footprint.
- Cheese Boutique (Toronto): Toronto-based specialty cheese retailer offering 500+ cheeses plus charcuterie, fine groceries, and catering. Directly comparable as a specialty cheese retailer combining curated third-party cheeses with in-house expertise and catering services — though without on-site artisan production.
Broad incumbents
- Agropur: Quebec-based dairy cooperative and one of the largest cheese manufacturers in North America, producing both commodity and specialty cheeses. Comparable as a Quebec dairy/cheese producer with broad retail reach; differs from La Trappe à Fromage in operating as a cooperative at industrial scale.
- Saputo: Canada's largest dairy processor and a major cheese manufacturer with national distribution across retail and food service. Comparable as a Quebec-headquartered dairy/cheese producer operating at industrial scale; however, Saputo is a broad incumbent, not a regional artisanal specialist like La Trappe à Fromage.
Regional players
- Provisions (Ottawa): Ottawa-based specialty food retailer and catering business focused on fine cheeses, charcuterie, and gourmet groceries. Comparable as a regional specialty food retailer/caterer in the Ottawa-Gatineau market with a similar curated cheese and gourmet assortment proposition.
- St-Albert Cheese Co-op: Quebec-based cheese producer with a strong Ontario retail presence and own retail store. Comparable as a Quebec cheese producer with both production and retail operations, though operating in a different geographic corridor (Eastern Ontario) than La Trappe à Fromage.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
La Trappe à Fromage social profiles
Digital presenceLa Trappe à Fromage financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
La Trappe à Fromage leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
La Trappe à Fromage funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
La Trappe à Fromage M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about La Trappe à Fromage
What does La Trappe à Fromage do?
La Trappe à Fromage is an artisan cheesemaker and gourmet food retailer that produces fresh cheeses daily from 100% local Outaouais milk at its Gatineau production plant and sells them alongside over 350 Quebec and European cheeses, fine groceries, charcuterie, and microbrewery beers through seven retail boutiques, an e-commerce store with in-store pickup, a catering service, and the Trappe à Poutine restaurant concept in the Outaouais region of Quebec.
Is La Trappe à Fromage a public or private company?
La Trappe à Fromage is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was La Trappe à Fromage founded?
La Trappe à Fromage was founded in 1995. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is La Trappe à Fromage based?
La Trappe à Fromage is headquartered in Quebec, Canada, in the North America region.
How does La Trappe à Fromage make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Store Sales (In-Store Purchases) is the primary driver. The others are E-Commerce / Online Store, catering & Event Services, specialty & Imported Fine Food Resale and restaurant / Food Service (Trappe à Poutine).
Who are La Trappe à Fromage's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fromagerie La Chaudière, Le Fromagier, Fromagerie du Presbytère, Fromagerie Saint-Guillaume, Fromagerie de l'Abbaye (Saint-Benoît-du-Lac) and Cheese Boutique (Toronto). Broad incumbents are Agropur and Saputo. Regional players are Provisions (Ottawa) and St-Albert Cheese Co-op.
Does La Trappe à Fromage have an API?
No public API is recorded for La Trappe à Fromage.
What industry is La Trappe à Fromage in?
La Trappe à Fromage's product category is Artisan Cheese Production and Gourmet Food Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADACAC, Cheese (Natural & Processed), with a secondary code of CRAHAGAD, Cheese Shops & Fromageries. Its NAICS code is 44529 and its SIC code is 2020.