Le Verger de la Blottière

What Le Verger de la Blottière does

Le Verger de la Blottière is a family-owned French apple and pear producer founded in 1961, headquartered at Saint Georges des Gardes in the Mauges region of Maine-et-Loire (Pays de la Loire). The company cultivates approximately 20 apple and pear varieties across multiple orchard sites, including proprietary registered varieties Antarès® (a rustic, sweet-tangy red-marbled apple produced exclusively at La Blottière) and Sweet Sensation® (a pink-skinned pear first planted in 2011). Beyond fresh fruit, it operates an integrated value chain including its own modernized packing station — which in 2024 acquired France's first mixed pre-calibration line capable of sorting both apples and pears by caliber, color, and quality — a juice bottling line producing pure and sparkling juices, and branded accessories.

The company monetizes primarily through direct-to-consumer channels: an on-farm Drive boutique where customers order online and collect within two hours, and two e-commerce websites (levergerdelablottiere.fr, mapommeantares.fr) handling delivery within metropolitan France via the SNC SOCHELEAU e-commerce entity. Pricing is unit-based, with juices ranging from €1.49 (25cl) to €9.50 (gift hamper) and accessories from €1.90 to €4.00. Secondary revenue flows through wholesale/retail partners. Marketing leverages Marmiton awards (1st Prize 2023 for sparkling juice plus two further laureates), seasonal promotional contests, TV and press coverage, and trade-show presence (Fruitlogistica, Salon de l'Agriculture). Certifications include Demain la Terre, Vergers Écoresponsables, and a 96/100 gender equality index.

The business employs between 101 and 250 permanent staff supplemented by roughly 250 seasonal pickers during the August-to-October harvest, with a stated productivity benchmark of 1,200 kg per picker per day. No external funding, parent company, or controlling investor is identified — Le Verger de la Blottière SCEA is independently held with €400,000 of social capital, and the e-commerce entity SNC SOCHELEAU operates with €36,017 of capital. The company holds no disclosed management-team profiles, no patents, and no AI/ML technology stack.

Name

Le Verger de la Blottière

Legal name

Le Verger de la Blottière SCEA

Website

https://levergerdelablottiere.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Le Verger de la Blottière is a family-owned French apple and pear orchard in Maine-et-Loire, cultivating approximately 20 proprietary and conventional varieties and selling fresh fruit, juices, and accessories directly to consumers via farm drive and e-commerce across metropolitan France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Fruit Production and Juice Manufacturing

NAICS

Apple Orchards (111331), Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Pome Fruit Orchards (Apples, Pears, Quinces) (AFAGACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh Fruit Wholesale (AFAIACAA), Gourmet & Fine Food Stores (CRAHAGAG)

Keywords

• Apple production
• Pear production
• Fruit juice manufacturing
• Fresh fruit sales
• Orchard farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Chemillé

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Fresh Fruit Sales: Direct retail and wholesale of fresh apples and pears grown at the orchard. Products include Antarès® apples, Sweet Sensation® pears, and other varieties sold directly from farm boutique and online.
2. Apple and Pear Juices: Production and sale of premium juices including Pur jus d'Antarès®, Jus de poires Sweet Sensation® et pommes, Jus de pommes multivariétal, and sparkling juices. Sold in 1L, 75cl, and 27.5cl formats.
3. Gift Boxes and Hampers: Pre-packaged gift sets of juices including Coffret 2 jus pétillants (8€), Coffret 2 jus (6€), Coffret 1 jus pétillant + 1 jus (7€), and larger hampers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Le Verger de la Blottière grows, sorts, packages and directly sells fresh apples and pears (around 20 varieties including proprietary Antarès® apple and Sweet Sensation® pear) and produces pure and sparkling apple and pear juices in multiple formats. Sales are conducted through an on-farm boutique (Drive) and two e-commerce websites, serving individual consumers and wholesale/retail partners in France.

Product overview

Le Verger de la Blottière operates as a dual-product business: (1) fresh produce (apples and pears) sold directly through their boutique and drive service, and (2) processed juices including pure juices and sparkling juices. The core fruit portfolio includes proprietary varieties like Antarès® apples and Sweet Sensation® pears, alongside conventional varieties (Fuji, Gala, Golden, Elstar, Conference). The juice line features single-variety and blended options, available in multiple formats (1L, 75cl, 27.5cl, 25cl) and gift box combinations. An accessories line offers kitchen tools (apple slicers, corers) branded with the company identity. All products carry eco-responsible certifications (Demain la Terre, Vergers Écoresponsables). The company also maintains seasonal promotional contests and recipe content as part of its digital engagement strategy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Antarès: The signature apple variety of Le Verger de la Blottière, a rustic red-marbled apple with sweet and slightly tangy flavor.
• Sweet Sensation
• Chantecler Héritage

Products and services

• Pommes Antarès® (Antarès apples) Signature proprietary apple variety of Le Verger de la Blottière, characterized by a natural rustic red-marbled skin and a sweet, slightly tangy taste. Sold directly to individual consumers through the farm boutique (Drive) and e-commerce websites.
• Poires Sweet Sensation® (Sweet Sensation pears) Proprietary pear variety with pink coloring, generous shape and firm, juicy, sweet flesh. Originally planted at La Blottière in 2011 and sold directly to consumers via farm Drive and online channels.
• Pommes - autres variétés (Fuji, Gala, Golden/Primgold, Elstar, Belchard, Chantecler Héritage®, QTee®, Délisdor®)

Quantifiable outcome

• 1st Prize Marmiton 2023 - Jus Pétillant d'Antarès® won the top prize in the 'Boissons' (Beverages) category
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Cholet BasketminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 April 2023Local basketball team sponsorship. La Blottière participated in annual sponsor tournament organized by Cholet Basket, reaching semi-finals in 2023.
• Pôle EmploiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2022French public employment service partnership for job dating events. Organizing recruitment sessions for seasonal and permanent positions at the orchard.
• Demain la TerrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 January 2010Agricultural association focused on sustainable farming. Le Verger de la Blottière participates in Demain la Terre events and initiatives. Shared commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable agriculture practices.
• SNC SOCHELEAUcoreOthersParent company operating e-commerce websites (www.levergerdelablottiere.fr and www.mapommeantares.fr) with share capital of 36,017 euros.
• SICA SOCFRUITcoreOthersFruit station cooperative (SICA SOCFRUIT) mentioned in HR policy context with 96/100 gender equality index.
• Dorian (Bloggeur Culinaire)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCulinary blogger Dorian creates and shares recipes using Antarès® apples. His blog reaches tens of thousands of readers monthly and he has authored two cookbooks.
• MarmitoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCulinary media platform. La Blottière won 1st Prize Marmiton 2023 for sparkling juice and was laureate in two other categories.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mesfruits: French fruit producer cooperative offering apples, pears, and juices with a similar diversified model. Comparable across pome fruit cultivation, juice processing, and branded retail offerings aimed at French consumers.
• Innatis: French apple producer and packer operating in the Loire Valley, with branded club varieties (e.g., Honeycrunch, Kissabel). Closely comparable business model: proprietary branded apples, modern packing infrastructure, and DTC/wholesale mix.
• Perlim: French pear cooperative with similar producer structure to Le Verger de la Blottière. Direct peer in pear cultivation, packing, and marketing, including club-variety partnerships (e.g., QTee®) overlapping with La Blottière's own Sweet Sensation® and QTee® trademarks.
• Blue Whale: Leading French apple cooperative representing hundreds of growers across multiple regions. Direct peer in pome fruit cultivation, packing, and wholesale distribution to French and European retailers — competing for the same shelf space and grower partnerships.
• Alain Milliat: French premium juice and nectar producer known for single-varietal fruit juices. Most closely comparable in premium positioning, fruit-juice craftsmanship, gift/horeca distribution, and DTC channel strategy — including sparkling and pure-juice formats.
• Charles & Alice: French fruit-puree and compote producer under Materne. Overlaps in processed fruit category (juices, purées) with French retail and food-service distribution, though focused more on ambient purees than fresh-pressed juices.

Broad incumbents

• Innocent Drinks: Coca-Cola-owned premium smoothie and juice brand with strong European presence. Comparable in premium fruit-juice positioning and direct-to-consumer brand-building, though operating at much larger scale across smoothies and ambient juices.
• Andros Group: Major French fruit-processing incumbent producing juices, compotes, and preserves under Andros, Bonne Maman (related), and other brands. Overlaps with La Blottière in fruit-based beverages but operates at vastly larger scale across multiple categories.
• Les Vergers Boiron: Major French frozen fruit-puree supplier to foodservice and professional kitchens. Comparable in processed-fruit manufacturing and French producer identity, though B2B-focused versus La Blottière's DTC lean.
• Tropicana (PepsiCo): Global fruit-juice incumbent and PepsiCo-owned brand. Represents the upper bound of competition in the juice category against La Blottière's pure and sparkling juices, with vastly broader distribution and marketing budgets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PommeAntaresVergerdelaBlottiere
• Instagraminstagram.com/mapommeantares/?hl=fr
• Pinterestlevergerdelablottiere.fr/facebook

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Le Verger de la Blottière