Le Meunier Group

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.

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

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

• Artisan cheese selection
• Cheese affinage services
• Traditional churned butter
• Specialty dairy products
• Fine food distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

La Croix-en-touraine

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Distribution of cheeses to delicatessens, restaurants, and supermarkets across France and internationally.
3. Export Sales: International distribution through a logistics platform at Rungis, with exports to the United States, Japan, Australia, and other countries worldwide.
4. 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

Core 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

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tours ÉvénementscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Rodolphe 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 37minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRodolphe 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 ProfessionalscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrong 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

Regional 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

• Facebookfacebook.com/RodolpheLeMeunierMOF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groupe-le-meunier

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Le Meunier Group