La Fromagerie

What La Fromagerie does

La Fromagerie is a London-based specialist cheese retailer and wholesaler founded in 1991–1992 by Patricia Michelson. The company sources and sells over 200 artisan and farmhouse cheeses from the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. Its core operations are anchored by four specialized ripening rooms (hard/semi-hard, white bloomy/goat, fresh, and blue cheese) that support domain-specific cheese maturation practices, including daily monitoring of bloomy-rind cheeses and olive-oil rubbing of Italian varieties during aging.

The business operates through three London retail locations — Highbury (opened 1992), Marylebone flagship (opened 2002, including the No.6 Cheese & Wine Bar), and Bloomsbury (opened 2017, including a full-service restaurant) — alongside an e-commerce shop shipping nationwide via DPD, a wholesale B2B division supplying restaurants and hotels since 1991, an off-site catering service, and a ticketed/private events business. Product offerings span individual cheeses, curated and themed cheese boards, cheese-and-wine pairing boards, celebration cheese cakes, monthly subscription boxes, a wine and drinks shop, accompaniments, charcuterie, and own-label products. Education is a distinct line through Academy of Cheese certification courses.

The revenue model combines one-time retail and e-commerce sales, recurring subscription revenue (£135–£500 per term), B2B wholesale supply with bespoke selection and staff training, and event-based revenue (ticketed tastings £45–£95 per person, private events with £500–£3,000+ minimum spends, off-site catering). Customer segments include individual consumers (primary), restaurants/hotels (primary enterprise), and corporate clients (private events). The company is privately held, founder-controlled, with 11–50 employees and no disclosed institutional investment.

Name

La Fromagerie

Legal name

La Fromagerie

Website

https://lafromagerie.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Fromagerie is a London-based artisan cheese specialist founded in 1992, operating three retail locations, a nationwide e-commerce shop, and a wholesale B2B division serving restaurants, hotels, and individual consumers with over 200 farmhouse cheeses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Cheese Retail

NAICS

Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cheese Wholesale (AFAIAEAC), Gourmet & Fine Food Stores (CRAHAGAG)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese retail
• Farmhouse cheese wholesale
• Cheese subscription boxes
• Cheese and wine events
• Specialty food retailer

Headquarters

HQ city

Marylebone

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Cheese Sales: Sale of individual artisan and farmhouse cheeses through three London retail locations and online shop. Cheese selection includes over 200 varieties from UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands and US.
2. Curated Cheese Boards: Pre-curated themed cheese boards (e.g., Patricia Michelson's Summer Cheese Board, FIFA World Cup Board) and cheese-and-wine pairing boards sold as gift boxes or for events.
3. Cheese Subscriptions: Monthly subscription boxes featuring three seasonal cheeses selected by cheesemongers, includes biscuits and tasting notes. Available in 3-month (£135), 6-month (£260), and 12-month (£500) terms with free delivery.
4. Virtual Tasting Events: Pre-recorded cheese tasting tutorials delivered with cheese boxes to customers' homes. Additional wine and charcuterie pairing options available.
5. Ticketed Events: Monday Suppers, Chef's Table dinners, regional wine and cheese tastings, and cheese board workshops at Marylebone and Highbury locations. Prices range from approximately £45-95 per person.
6. Private Events: Standing and seated private cheese and wine tasting events at Marylebone and Highbury venues. Minimum spends apply (£500-£3000+ depending on venue and season) plus service charge.
7. Off-site Catering: Cheese and charcuterie platters for corporate events, parties, and gatherings. Custom platters available from selection of 250+ cheeses.
8. Wholesale B2B: Supply of farmhouse cheese to restaurants, hotels, and shops. Bespoke service including cheese selection, staff training, and regular deliveries.
9. Restaurant Sales: Full-service restaurant at Bloomsbury location serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and supper menus featuring La Fromagerie cheeses and house preparations.
10. Café and Wine Bar: No.6 Cheese & Wine Bar at Marylebone serving breakfast, lunch, weekend brunch, and Friday evening supper with cheese boards, fondue, and raclette.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

La Fromagerie is a specialist cheese retailer and wholesaler offering over 200 artisan and farmhouse cheeses from the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, and the US. The company operates three London shops (Highbury, Marylebone, Bloomsbury), a UK-wide e-commerce shop, a wholesale B2B division for hospitality, and complements retail with curated cheese boards, subscriptions, wine pairings, on-site and virtual tasting events, and Academy of Cheese education.

Product overview

La Fromagerie is a British and European artisan cheese specialist operating as a multi-location retail, restaurant, and online commerce business. The core offering centers on over 200 individually sourced farmhouse and artisan cheeses available through physical shops (Highbury since 1992, Marylebone since 2002, Bloomsbury since 2017) and a comprehensive online shop. The product portfolio spans Individual Cheeses organized by type (Goat, Soft, Hard, Washed Rind, Blue), curated Cheese Boards and Cheese and Wine Boards, Cooking With Cheese ingredients, Celebration Cheese Cakes for events, and Cheese Subscriptions (3/6/12 month plans). The wine and drinks program includes a Wine Shop with 48 products, Low and No Alcohol options, Half Bottles, Beer & Cider, and Spirits. Supporting products include Own Label items (wines, spirits, merchandise), Store Cupboard Essentials (butter, preserves, honey, crackers), Charcuterie, Accompaniments for Cheese, Picnic Boxes, and Gift Vouchers. The experience extends through Events including Ticketed Events at all locations, Live Virtual Cheese & Wine Tastings, Bespoke Virtual Tastings, Academy of Cheese education courses, Private Standing and Seated Cheese & Wine Events, Fondue Suppers, and Off-site Catering. The business operates four physical platforms: LA FROMAGERIE Highbury (shop/cafe), LA FROMAGERIE Marylebone (flagship with No.6 Cheese & Wine Bar), No.6 Cheese & Wine Bar, and LA FROMAGERIE Bloomsbury (restaurant/shop). Wholesale services supply restaurants and shops with bespoke cheese offerings and staff training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Cheeses Over 115 individual artisan and farmhouse cheeses sourced from the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, and the US, available for online purchase or in-store selection.
• Cheese Boards Curated seasonal cheese boards exploring regions and terroir, designed for gatherings, dinner parties, and gifting occasions, including themed boards such as British Isles, South West France, Vegetarian, and Summer varieties.
• Cheese and Wine Boards Curated cheese boards pre-paired with wines, beers, or port, including regional pairings such as British Isles, South West France, Champagne Celebration, Aperitif Boards, and corporate gift boxes.
• Cooking With Cheese Hard cheeses specifically selected for cooking applications, including Raclette, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, and Trentingrana for fondue, raclette, pasta, and gratins.
• Celebration Cheese Cakes Stackable farmhouse cheeses decorated with seasonal fruits for weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries, available in sizes for 12 to 80+ guests with bespoke tasting services at Marylebone.
• Cheese Subscription Monthly subscription delivering three seasonal artisan cheeses selected by cheesemongers, with biscuits, tasting notes, and free delivery, available in 3-month (£135), 6-month (£260), and 12-month (£500) plans.
• Pre-recorded Cheese Tastings Virtual cheese tasting boxes delivered to homes across mainland UK, accompanied by a 20-minute pre-recorded tutorial by senior cheesemonger Max Melvin, with optional wine and charcuterie pairings.
• Wine Shop Wine selection of 48 products spanning French, Italian, and other international red, white, sparkling, and dessert wines, including own-label wines and half bottles.
• Low and No Alcohol Drinks Selection of no and low alcohol beverages including dealcoholised sparkling wine, still wine, English sparkling apple juice, and Copenhagen Sparkling Tea.
• Half Bottles Smaller format wine bottles including Gigondas, Bordeaux, Valpolicella Classico, and Bordeaux Blanc at reduced sizes for individual or smaller group servings.
• Beer & Cider Curated selection of artisan beers and ciders including The Kernel Brewery Table Beer, Pale Ale, Find and Foster Cider, and Oliver's Perry.
• Spirits Selection of spirits including Espresso Liqueur, Sacred Negroni, Sacred Vodka, Sacred Gin, and homemade Limoncello and Vin d'Orange.
• Store Cupboard Essentials Pantry staples including Bordier Butter, Membrillo, Fig Jam, Seasonal Chutney, honey varieties (Miel des Pyrenees, Truffle Honey), Black Nyon Olives, and Fionagh's Crackers.
• La Fromagerie Own Label Products La Fromagerie branded products including wine boxes (Chateau Le Roc, Domaine de Valdition), spirits (Espresso Liqueur, Vin d'Orange, Limoncello), French Farmer's Work Jacket, shopping bags, and own-label wine.
• Charcuterie Pre-sliced charcuterie with up to 2 months shelf life unopened, suitable for gift boxes, including Saucisson Sec des Pyrenees.
• Picnic Boxes Regional picnic boxes designed for two people, with English, French, Italian, and Spanish themes, expandable with charcuterie, wine, and beer add-ons.
• Gift Vouchers Digital gift vouchers valid for use across all La Fromagerie locations and online shop.
• Ticketed Events at Marylebone Scheduled tasting events including Monday Suppers, Chef's Table dinners, regional wine deep dives (Loire, Veneto), cheese board workshops, and seasonal suppers hosted at the Marylebone location.
• Ticketed Events at Highbury Events program at Highbury including Alpine Fondue evenings, Beaujolais Nouveau celebrations, and seasonal tastings with Patricia.
• Suppers at Bloomsbury Specialty dinner events at the Bloomsbury restaurant including regional cuisine suppers such as Bouillabaisse and Lobster Thermidor.
• Live Virtual Cheese & Wine Tastings Ticketed virtual tasting events hosted by Patricia Michelson and senior cheesemonger Max Melvin, featuring relaxed and convivial online tasting journeys.
• Bespoke Virtual Cheese & Wine Tastings Custom virtual tasting experiences for personal and corporate customers, with cheese-only, cheese and wine, cheese wine and charcuterie, fondue, and raclette formats, with minimum spend requirements.
• Academy of Cheese Professional cheese education course taught by Max Melvin covering the structured approach to tasting (SATC) and the Academy of Cheese proprietary Make-Post Make model, including Level 1 accreditation and exam access.
• Private Standing Cheese & Wine Events Standing reception-style events with seasonal cheese and wine pairings, regional journeys, and optional canapes, with minimum spend of £2,000 (Jan-Oct) or £3,000 (Nov-Dec) at Marylebone.
• Private Seated Cheese & Wine Tasting Intimate seated tasting events with aperitif and bespoke regional cheese and wine pairings, starting from £50 per person excluding wines, with 15% service charge.
• Fondue Suppers Fondue Savoyarde and Raclette Comtoise available year-round, with Vacherin Du-Haut-Doubs seasonally from October to March, offered in-cafes, for large bookings, and private parties.
• Off-site Catering Catering service providing cheese and charcuterie platters on biodegradable bamboo plates with canape-style cuts, custom platters from over 250 cheeses, and wine and accompaniment pairing recommendations.
• Wholesale Cheese Supply B2B wholesale supply of farmhouse and artisan cheese to restaurants, hotels, and shops including bespoke cheese board curation, staff training, and kitchen cheese and dairy products, with Monday-Friday delivery and orders handled by cheesemongers.
• LA FROMAGERIE Marylebone Flagship Store Flagship store and cheese and wine bar at 2-6 Moxon Street, London W1U 4EW, featuring over 200 artisan cheeses, No.6 Cafe, events venue, and private hire capabilities.
• LA FROMAGERIE Bloomsbury Restaurant & Shop Restaurant, shop, and cheeseroom at 52 Lamb's Conduit Street, London WC1N 3LL, offering breakfast, brunch, lunch, and supper menus featuring La Fromagerie cheeses and house preparations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35 years of supplier relationships in Franche-Comté and Savoie regions

Named customers2 records

Segments3 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

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Androuet: Parisian fromagerie chain with shops, restaurant and wholesale operation specialising in French farmhouse cheeses. Closest international fromagerie peer in business model and product mix.
• Paxton & Whitfield: Historic UK cheesemonger (Royal Warrant holder) with Jermyn Street shop and nationwide online delivery. Comparable as a heritage British cheese specialist retailer with curated cheese selection.
• The Cheese Society: Independent UK cheesemonger with shops, restaurant and mail-order service. Comparable as a regional specialist cheese retailer with dining and events attached.
• Neal's Yard Dairy: London-based specialist retailer and wholesaler of British and Irish artisan cheeses with its own maturation rooms. Direct comparable to La Fromagerie across retail, wholesale, online and wholesale-to-restaurants model.
• Natoora: London-based specialist food supplier with direct-sourcing relationships to small artisan producers across fruit, vegetables, cheese and charcuterie. Comparable on B2B supply to restaurants plus DTC retail.

Broad incumbents

• Selfridges Food Hall: Premium department store with a London food hall featuring artisan cheese counters, gift hampers and online delivery. Overlaps with La Fromagerie in premium cheese retail and gifting occasions.
• Daylesford: UK organic and artisan food specialist with farmshop, deli and nationwide delivery. Comparable on premium specialty food retail with strong brand and DTC, though broader than cheese alone.
• Fortnum & Mason: Iconic London food hall with a substantial cheese counter plus nationwide hampers and online delivery. Competes for premium gifting, cheese-and-wine boards and special-occasion baskets.

Emerging players

• Formaticum: US-based cheese subscription and specialty cheese retailer focused on curation, subscriptions and cheese storage products. Comparable as a digitally-led artisan cheese DTC / subscription peer.

Regional players

• Hedonism Wines: London premium wine retailer with food and cheese accompaniments plus events. Comparable on London fine-food retail, wine-and-cheese pairing boards and private events strategy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LaFromagerieUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/lafromagerieuk
• Instagraminstagram.com/lafromagerieuk/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-fromagerie-uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 La Fromagerie