Le Meunier Group
Le Meunier Group is a third-generation French family cheese affineur (SAS Les Fromages du Moulin) selecting and aging 400+ cheese varieties in eight specialized caves and producing traditional wooden-churn Beurres de Baratte, serving fine-dining restaurants, delicatessens, premium consumers, and export markets across the US, Japan, and Australia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersLa Croix-en-touraine, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Le Meunier Group does
Le Meunier Group (legally SAS Les Fromages du Moulin, operating as Rodolphe Le Meunier) is a third-generation French family cheese affineur and traditional butter producer headquartered at 4 Avenue du Colonel Jacques Soufflet, 37150 La Croix-en-Touraine, in the Loire Valley. The company selects, ages, and distributes more than 400 varieties of artisan cheese spanning bloomy-rind, washed-rind, natural-rind, pressed, cooked and uncooked, veined, raw-milk, pasteurized, PDO, and farmhouse styles, alongside its proprietary Beurres de Baratte — traditional butters made in wooden churns from pasteurized Normandy cream. Its core technical asset is a set of eight specialized affinage caves (described as spanning 400-700m²) with bespoke temperature, ventilation, and humidity regimes tuned to each cheese family, plus an exclusive-product portfolio (Crèmeux des Citeaux aux Truffes, Tomme de Fontenay, Jeune Autize) that cannot be sourced elsewhere.
The business operates a diversified multi-channel model: direct retail through the flagship shop at Les Halles de Tours (open 7 days a week), mobile market vans at Touraine farmers markets (Chinon, Amboise, Blois, Montoire, Langeais), restaurant [R] in Tours (opened 2017), event catering, wholesale to French and international delicatessens and supermarkets, and export to the United States, Japan, Australia, and Hong Kong via a logistics platform at Rungis. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Its customer base is split across premium food consumers, fine-dining restaurants and chefs, specialty delicatessens, and event organizers, with no single customer dominating. The company is led by Rodolphe Le Meunier (Président-Directeur Général; Meilleur Ouvrier de France and Meilleur Fromager International, both 2007) together with his sister Caroline Le Meunier (General Manager and Retail), supported by an Export Manager, National Sales Manager, Quality Manager, Communication Manager, Administrative/Accounting Manager, Shop Manager, and Workshop Manager. The business is privately held by the Le Meunier family with no external investment disclosed.
Le Meunier Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Le Meunier Group
- Legal name
- SAS Les Fromages du Moulin
- Website
- https://rodolphelemeunier.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Le Meunier Group is a third-generation French family cheese affineur (SAS Les Fromages du Moulin) selecting and aging 400+ cheese varieties in eight specialized caves and producing traditional wooden-churn Beurres de Baratte, serving fine-dining restaurants, delicatessens, premium consumers, and export markets across the US, Japan, and Australia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Le Meunier Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisan Cheese and Specialty Dairy
- NAICS
- Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)
- SIC
- Dairy Products (2020), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue) (AFAHABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC), Cheese Wholesale (AFAIAEAC), Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)
Keywords
Where Le Meunier Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Croix-en-touraine
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Le Meunier Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Retail Cheese and Butter Sales: Direct sales of cheese and butter products to consumers through the company-owned retail shop in Les Halles de Tours and through mobile market vans at farmers markets in Touraine.
- Wholesale Distribution: Distribution of cheeses to delicatessens, restaurants, and supermarkets across France and internationally.
- Export Sales: International distribution through a logistics platform at Rungis, with exports to the United States, Japan, Australia, and other countries worldwide.
- Catering and Events: Cheese bar, buffets with culinary events, dinners, and other catering services for private and corporate events.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels4 records
Le Meunier Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Le Meunier Group (Rodolphe Le Meunier / SAS Les Fromages du Moulin) is a French artisan cheese business that selects, ages, and distributes more than 400 varieties of premium cheeses from French and European producers in eight specialized cellars spanning 400+m², and produces traditional wooden-churn butters (Beurres de Baratte) in Normandy. The company sells its cheeses and butters through a retail boutique at Les Halles de Tours, mobile market vans at Touraine farmers markets, wholesale to restaurants and delicatessens in France and abroad, and international export to the US, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong and other countries.
Product overview
Le Meunier Group (Rodolphe Le Meunier) is a French artisan cheese company offering over 400 varieties of premium cheeses and traditional churned butters. The product portfolio centers on three core offerings: (1) a curated selection of artisan cheeses sourced from French and European producers, (2) proprietary Beurres de Baratte churned butters produced in Normandy, and (3) exclusive signature products like the Crémeux des Citeaux with Truffles. Supporting services include cheese aging (affinage) in 8 specialized cellars, international export/logistics, catering for events, and a restaurant [R] in Tours. The company was founded by artisan cheesemonger Rodolphe Le Meunier, named Best Craftsman of France and Best International Cheesemonger in 2007, and is now operated alongside his sister Caroline. Distribution spans retail shops, farmers markets, delicatessens, restaurants, and exports to North America, Asia, and Australia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Beurres de Baratte Le Meunier: Traditional churned butters made from carefully selected French farm milk, worked in wooden butter churns according to traditional methods and hand-molded
- Fromagerie Le Meunier
- [R]
Products and services
- Cheeses (Fromages) Curated assortment of over 400 varieties of artisan cheeses including bloomy-rind, washed-rind, natural-rind, pressed (cooked and uncooked), veined, raw milk, pasteurized, PDO, and farmhouse cheeses, selected by Rodolphe Le Meunier to showcase French and European terroirs.
- Beurres de Baratte (Churned Butters) Traditional churned and cultured butters made from carefully selected French farm milk, worked in wooden butter churns and hand-molded. Available in unsalted, lightly salted, and flavored varieties (seaweed, wild pepper, passion berry, Espelette pepper, Madagascar wild pepper, Ethiopian long pepper, etc.), produced in Normandy on the Cotentin Peninsula.
- Exclusive Signature Cheeses (Exclusivités) Exclusive signature cheeses available only through Rodolphe Le Meunier, including Crèmeux des Citeaux aux Truffes (winner of a Super Gold medal), Tomme de Fontenay, and Jeune Autize.
- Catering Services (Traiteur) Full-service catering offering including cheese bars, buffets with culinary animations, dinners, and special events for private and corporate clients.
- Restaurant [R] Restaurant opened in 2017 in Tours serving market cuisine, reflecting Rodolphe Le Meunier's culinary vision and cheese expertise.
- Export and Logistics Services International export and logistics services with a platform in Rungis and distribution network reaching the United States, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, and other countries worldwide.
Quantifiable outcome
- World Cheese Awards 2019: 6 cheeses received medals including Supergold for Fromage d'Ossau
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Le Meunier Group
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Le Meunier Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Le Meunier Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Tours ÉvénementscoreRodolphe Le Meunier, as expert consultant, alongside Tours Événements, created the 'Mondial du Fromage et des Produits Laitiers' (World Cheese and Dairy Product Exhibition) in Tours in 2013. The event brings together industry stakeholders to showcase market innovations and developments.
- Campus des Métiers 37minorRodolphe Le Meunier serves as 'Parrain de formation' (training sponsor) for the first CAP Crémier-fromager (cheesemonger apprenticeship) class, sharing expertise with aspiring professionals.
- Food Industry ProfessionalscoreStrong partnerships with restaurateurs, delicatessens, and supermarket chains for distribution of Le Meunier cheese products across France and internationally.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Le Meunier Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Formaggio Kitchen: Cambridge/Boston specialty cheesemonger with wholesale, retail, and direct-to-consumer online channels focused on artisan and farmhouse cheeses. Comparable in model and customer base but US East Coast-focused rather than Europe-based.
Direct peers
- Fromagerie Alléosse: Paris-based MOF affineur with multiple shops, an aging cellar, and chef/restaurant supply business. Closely comparable to Le Meunier in model: in-house affinage, exclusive signature cheeses, and premium wholesale to top French restaurants.
- Maison Androuet: Historic Parisian fromagerie (founded 1909) operating retail shops, affineur services, a restaurant, and international distribution. Directly competes in premium French artisan cheese curation, affinage, and chef supply.
- Laurent Dubois: Paris-based MOF affineur with multiple retail shops, in-house aging, and restaurant wholesale. Overlaps with Le Meunier in MOF heritage, premium affinage, and multi-location retail model.
- Murray's Cheese: Iconic New York affineur and specialty cheese retailer operating aging caves, a flagship shop, wholesale distribution to restaurants and grocers, and a national e-commerce channel. Comparable as a US-based premium affineur with multi-channel distribution.
- Neal's Yard Dairy: London-based affineur and specialty cheesemonger with in-house aging cellars, a flagship retail counter, wholesale to restaurants and grocers, and international reputation for British and European artisan cheese. Closely comparable operating model to Le Meunier's wholesale-plus-affinage-plus-retail structure.
- Fromagerie Marie Quatremer: French MOF affineur with shops and B2B supply across France. Directly comparable to Le Meunier in craft positioning, MOF credential, and chef-focused wholesale of aged French cheeses.
Broad incumbents
- Bel Group: Large multinational dairy and cheese group (Laughing Cow, Babybel, Leerdammer). Broad incumbent in cheese manufacturing, distribution, and international retail — competes indirectly via retail shelf and foodservice channels rather than premium affinage.
- Savencia Fromage & Dairy: Major French dairy group with broad cheese portfolio spanning branded, specialty, and B2B channels. Operates in the same dairy manufacturing/wholesale space as Le Meunier but at industrial scale across multiple categories.
- Lactalis: World's largest dairy group with extensive cheese portfolio (Président, Galbani, etc.). Dominant incumbent across retail and foodservice cheese categories, providing indirect competitive pressure on premium French cheese shelf space and pricing.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Le Meunier Group social profiles
Digital presenceLe Meunier Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Le Meunier Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Le Meunier Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Le Meunier Group 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 Le Meunier Group
What does Le Meunier Group do?
Le Meunier Group (Rodolphe Le Meunier / SAS Les Fromages du Moulin) is a French artisan cheese business that selects, ages, and distributes more than 400 varieties of premium cheeses from French and European producers in eight specialized cellars spanning 400+m², and produces traditional wooden-churn butters (Beurres de Baratte) in Normandy. The company sells its cheeses and butters through a retail boutique at Les Halles de Tours, mobile market vans at Touraine farmers markets, wholesale to restaurants and delicatessens in France and abroad, and international export to the US, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong and other countries.
Is Le Meunier Group a public or private company?
Le Meunier Group is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Le Meunier Group founded?
Le Meunier Group was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Le Meunier Group based?
Le Meunier Group is headquartered in La Croix-en-touraine, France, in the Europe region.
How does Le Meunier Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Retail Cheese and Butter Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Distribution, export Sales and catering and Events.
Who are Le Meunier Group's main competitors?
Formaggio Kitchen is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Fromagerie Alléosse, Maison Androuet, Laurent Dubois, Murray's Cheese, Neal's Yard Dairy and Fromagerie Marie Quatremer. Broad incumbents are Bel Group, Savencia Fromage & Dairy and Lactalis.
Does Le Meunier Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Le Meunier Group.
What industry is Le Meunier Group in?
Le Meunier Group's product category is Artisan Cheese and Specialty Dairy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAHABAB, Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue), with a secondary code of CRADACAC, Cheese (Natural & Processed). Its NAICS code is 311513 and its SIC code is 2020.