What Biolait does

Biolait is a French organic dairy cooperative founded in 1994 by six farms in western France, headquartered in Saffré (Loire-Atlantique) and operating as a Société par Actions Simplifiée (SAS) with variable capital. It is the leading organic milk collector in France, handling approximately 30% of national organic milk collection from roughly 1,043 to 2,400 member farms across all French regions — including remote and mountainous territories such as the Pyrenees, where Biolait inaugurated collection in November 2018. Its core activity is aggregating 100% organic raw milk from member farms and reselling it to retailers, food processors, and foodservice operators under long-term supply partnerships.

The cooperative's product offering centers on three differentiated streams: (1) raw organic milk traded as a commodity; (2) the proprietary IL LAIT LÀ quality label, launched in June 2022, which identifies dairy products sourced from Biolait farms with commitments beyond standard organic certification (270-day grazing, 100% French-origin feed, biodiversity stewardship); and (3) Bio Équitable en France certified milk, obtained in June 2021 in partnership with La Maison Le Gall, guaranteeing fair cost-based pricing and producer governance. Underlying quality assurance rests on an internal team of 13 technical advisors supporting farms plus independent certifying bodies, with traceability secured through collective governance and farm-level biodiversity diagnostics conducted with LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux).

Biolait's business model is a transaction-fee cooperative: it purchases milk from producer-members at a uniform farmgate price regardless of region, volume, or market conditions (e.g., €470.59/1000L TPC in 2019), and resells to clients — capturing the margin between purchase and sale price while redistributing profits entirely to producer-members. Major B2B customers include Biocoop (since 2000), Système U, Auchan, Casino, McDonald's France, and specialist brands such as Ethiquable, Ingredia, Altermonts, Le Gall, and Bonneterre. Reported turnover is €155 million. The GTM is dual: farmer recruitment via agricultural trade shows (SPACE, Tech&Bio, Sommet de l'Élevage) and a network of technical advisors, combined with consumer-facing brand-building through in-store producer events (150+ annually), the first national TV campaign for IL LAIT LÀ in October 2022, and dedicated digital properties including the illaitla.fr website.

Name

Biolait

Legal name

SAS BIOLAIT

Website

https://biolait.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

French organic milk collection cooperative founded in 1994, serving approximately 1,043–2,400 member farms nationwide. Aggregates 100% organic raw milk and trades it to retailers, processors, and foodservice operators under uniform pricing and cooperative governance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Dairy Collection

NAICS

Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers (424430)

SIC

Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Dairy & Eggs Wholesale (AFAIAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Butter & Cultured Dairy (Yogurt, Sour Cream, Kefir) Wholesale (AFAIAEAB)

Keywords

• Organic milk collection
• Dairy cooperative
• Organic dairy supply
• Fairtrade dairy
• Agricultural cooperative

Headquarters

HQ city

Saffré

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Milk Collection and Trading: Biolait collects raw organic milk from its member farms and sells it to dairy processors, brands, and retailers. As a SAS (simplified joint-stock company) with variable capital, it redistributes profits entirely to producer members. Revenue is generated through the margin between purchase price to producers and sale price to clients, supplemented by service fees and financial support mechanisms funded through client partnerships (e.g., the Ethiquable tri-partite fund). Turnover of 155 million euros was cited for its activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Biolait is a French agricultural cooperative that collects 100% organic raw milk from approximately 1,043 member farms across France and sells it to dairy processors, retailers, and food ingredient companies. The cooperative pools member farms' milk and redistributes it as a wholesale organic dairy supply, with all profits redistributed back to producer members. Complementary offerings include the IL LAIT LÀ proprietary quality label launched in June 2022 and Bio Équitable en France fairtrade certified milk.

Product overview

Biolait is a French agricultural cooperative that collects and markets 100% organic milk from member farms across France. The core offering is organic milk collection services from approximately 1,043 to 2,500 farms (figures vary by source). Biolait sells milk to commercial partners including retailers (Biocoop, Système U, Auchan) and food processors. The cooperative launched the 'IL LAIT LÀ' quality label in 2022 to identify products containing their committed organic milk. Biolait also produces certified fair trade organic milk under the 'Bio Équitable en France' label through partnerships. The cooperative's products are primarily B2B ingredients rather than consumer-facing products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IL LAIT LÀ: Quality label launched by Biolait producers to identify genuinely committed organic dairy products and guide French consumers toward more responsible food choices.
• Altermonts

Products and services

• Organic Milk Collection Services
• IL LAIT LÀ Quality Label A quality marker launched by Biolait producers in 2022 to identify products made with their committed organic milk, enabling consumers to distinguish truly engaged organic dairy products with specific commitments to biodiversity, animal welfare, and local sourcing.
• Bio Équitable en France Certified Milk Organic milk from Biolait farms certified under the Bio Équitable en France fair trade label, guaranteeing fair prices based on production costs, long-term commitments, and producer involvement in governance.
• Organic Milk Powder for Fair Trade Chocolate Organic milk powder manufactured for Ethiquable's fairtrade chocolate, produced under a 3-year tripartite partnership with Ingredia, with a price floor based on production costs and a development fund for Biolait farmer initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 110,000 hectares of organic grassland functioning as carbon sink and biodiversity habitat — estimated 9 million tonnes of carbon storage across Biolait farms
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AuchanminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 August 2023Auchan launched a series of in-store Biolait producer events nationwide from September 28 to October 14, 2023. Producers met consumers in Auchan stores to promote the IL LAIT LÀ label, animal welfare, biodiversity, and regional farm diversity. The partnership is part of Biolait's consumer-facing GTM expansion.
• Système UcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 October 2022Système U, a French independent supermarket cooperative, runs Biolait producer in-store events (150 in Oct–Nov 2022, 115 in June 2023) and highlights the IL LAIT LÀ quality label on U-brand organic dairy products. The partnership combines retail distribution with farmer-consumer engagement to promote organic dairy consumption.
• Ethiquable (Scop)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2022Ethiquable, a French Scop (worker cooperative) and pioneer of fairtrade in French mass retail, partnered with Biolait and Ingredia in 2022 to create the first 100% French fairtrade organic milk powder for chocolate. The tri-partite agreement includes: a 3-year supply contract; a price floor based on production costs; a development fund for Biolait farmer initiatives (biodiversity diagnostics, grazing improvements, installation support); and geographic proximity sourcing from farms nearest to Ingredia's plant in Hauts-de-France.
• Ingredia Prospérité FermièrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2022Ingredia, a subsidiary of the Prospérité Fermière cooperative in Hauts-de-France with 70 years of dairy expertise, transforms Biolait organic milk into milk powder for Ethiquable's fairtrade chocolate. Ingredia secured the specialized knowledge for chocolate-compatible milk powder processing, enabling the first French organic fairtrade milk powder for confectionery.
• La Maison Le GallcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 June 2021La Maison Le Gall, a dairy processor, and Biolait were jointly certified 'Bio Équitable en France' in June 2021, enabling them to market fairtrade-priced organic dairy products. Le Gall processes Biolait milk into premium organic dairy goods carrying the dual Bio Équitable + Biolait credentials.
• Commerce Equitable FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2020Biolait joined Commerce Equitable France — the network of French fairtrade actors — in December 2020. The membership formalizes Biolait's existing fairtrade-style practices (equitable pricing, producer governance, transparency) within a recognized national framework, and aligns with the Bio Équitable en France certification obtained in 2021. Biolait had already been an informal fairtrade pioneer since its founding in 1994.
• LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2020Biolait partnered with LPO Pays de la Loire (France's leading nature protection association, 57,000 members) in November 2020 to conduct 'Diagnostic Partagé Biodiversité' (Shared Biodiversity Diagnostics) on 30 Biolait farms. Each farm visit involves the farmer, an LPO naturalist, and a consumer, leading to concrete biodiversity action plans (hedge planting, nest boxes, ponds). The initiative was expanded nationwide and is a first in engaging consumers directly in on-farm biodiversity assessment.
• McDonald's FranceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 November 2019McDonald's France announced a partnership with Biolait in November 2019, sourcing Biolait organic milk for its French restaurants. The partnership was highlighted as part of McDonald's sustainability and local sourcing initiatives.
• BiocoopcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Biocoop, France's leading organic supermarket chain, has partnered with Biolait since 2000 — the year Biolait launched its first branded milk carton. Biolait holds a seat in Biocoop's cooperative governance alongside stores, consumer associations, and employee shareholders. Biocoop's private-label organic milk, butter, and yogurts are sourced exclusively from Biolait. More than 50 joint in-store producer events are organized annually, and Biolait participates in Biocoop's 'Paysan·ne·s Associé·e·s' governance structure.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Savencia Fromage & Dairy: French specialty dairy group with cheese and dairy ingredient portfolios. Comparable as a French dairy processor that buys organic and conventional milk, but operates as a privately-held corporation across broader categories.
• Danone: French multinational with significant dairy operations (incl. organic brands like Les 2 Vaches). Overlaps with Biolait as a French organic dairy buyer/brand competitor and runs its own organic sourcing programs at much larger scale.
• Bel Group: French multinational dairy company (The Laughing Cow, Babybel, Kiri). Operates a French dairy sourcing footprint and competes in branded dairy but does not focus on organic-only or cooperative member-farm collection.
• Lactalis: World's largest dairy company and dominant French incumbent with broad conventional and organic dairy portfolios. Overlaps with Biolait as a major French dairy buyer and processor, but operates as a privately-held corporation at vastly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Arla Foods: European dairy cooperative owned by ~8,000 farmers across multiple countries. Direct peer on cooperative governance and member-driven milk collection, though Arla operates across conventional and organic at much larger scale.
• Organic Valley: US-based organic dairy cooperative owned by ~1,600 farmer-owners with a national organic milk collection and brand business. Direct structural peer: cooperative governance model, organic-only focus, farmer-controlled pricing, branded retail products.
• FrieslandCampina: Dutch dairy cooperative with member-farm milk collection and broad dairy product portfolio. Direct structural peer on cooperative model and member-farm milk aggregation, with comparable B2B and branded retail exposure.
• Yeo Valley: UK's largest organic dairy brand, sourcing from a network of organic dairy farms. Direct peer on organic-only positioning and farmer-relationship-driven marketing, though Yeo Valley focuses more on branded consumer products than B2B milk trading.
• SODIAAL: France's largest dairy cooperative, collecting conventional and organic milk from member farms and supplying major retailers and processors. Closest direct structural peer to Biolait in the French dairy cooperative landscape.

Emerging players

• Stonyfield Farm: US-based organic dairy brand (now owned by Danone). Direct peer on organic-only positioning and brand-led retail distribution, but operates as a branded processor rather than a member-farm collection cooperative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/biolaitop
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJgWdS1wepNhjaikFMKeiMA
• Facebookfacebook.com/biolait.groupement
• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/biolait-sas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Biolait