France Frais

What France Frais does

France Frais is a French federation of food distributors serving the foodservice and artisan food trades sectors. The network operates 120 distribution sites across all French regions, distributing more than 40,000 product references across tri-temperature (fresh, chilled, and frozen) categories from approximately 1,700 suppliers, with over 90% of products sourced and produced in France. France Frais is wholly owned by the agricultural cooperative Les Maîtres Laitiers du Cotentin, which unites over 1,000 producer-members operating more than 600 farms in Normandy, creating a vertically integrated producer-to-distributor model that the company describes as ensuring fair remuneration for farmers and food sovereignty.

The company's revenue model is B2B wholesale distribution, monetized through product markup and distribution fees on a transactional, volume-based pricing basis with quotes tailored to customer category and order size. Customer segments are primarily professional restaurateurs, artisan bakers and pastry chefs, butcher-charcutiers, cheese shops (crémiers-fromagers), and collective catering operators including the CROUS university dining network. The group operates 65+ regional subsidiaries (France Frais Auvergne, Rhône-Alpes, Val de Seine, Lodipat Océan, Yéo Frais, RHD Labo, Sodifragel, Guilmot-Gaudais, Jean Ramon, Prolaidis, Laiterie Gilbert), specialty cheese dairies (Fromagerie Réo, Fromagerie Léon Rey, Edouard Conus, Lou Passou Bio), and service arms including the Patisfrais training organization and Bleu Blanc Chef demonstration showroom. Distribution is direct-to-client B2B with self-service collection options at distribution platforms.

In 2024, France Frais reported revenue of €2.2 billion and a headcount of 4,500 collaborators across the distribution network and cooperative group. Strategic activity in 2023-2024 included the integration of SAS Laiterie Gilbert (48 franchised cheese shops), the merger of Maîtres Laitiers Distribution and Ets Lebailly at the Ifs warehouse, and a commercial partnership with Coopérative du Val d'Arly via Fromagerie Léon Rey effective December 2024. The company maintains Fairtrade/Max Havelaar certification for its Campagne de France brand, EGAlim-compliant catalog positioning for institutional catering, and GDPR/RGPD data compliance. The group operates a third-party Webfleet telematics platform for fleet management, with no disclosed proprietary AI or machine-learning systems.

Name

France Frais

Legal name

France Frais SARL

Website

https://francefrais.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

France Frais is a French federation of food distributors owned by the Les Maîtres Laitiers du Cotentin dairy cooperative, operating 120 distribution sites and delivering 40,000+ fresh, chilled, and frozen product references to professional foodservice operators and artisan food tradespeople across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

B2B Food Distribution

NAICS

Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers (424430), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers (42442), Fluid Milk Manufacturing (311511)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro primary industry

Dairy & Refrigerated Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fluid Milk & Cream Wholesale (AFAIAEAA), Butter & Cultured Dairy (Yogurt, Sour Cream, Kefir) Wholesale (AFAIAEAB), Dairy-Based Beverage Wholesale (Milk Drinks, Yogurt Drinks) (AFAIAGAG)

Keywords

• B2B food distribution
• Dairy wholesale
• Foodservice supply
• Tri-temperature logistics
• Fresh frozen chilled distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Sainte-marie-la-blanche

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B Food Distribution: Wholesale distribution of dairy, fresh, and specialty food products to professional foodservice operators and artisan tradespeople. Revenue generated through product markup and distribution fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

France Frais is a federation of food distributors owned by the Les Maîtres Laitiers du Cotentin cooperative, operating 120 distribution sites across France. It distributes over 40,000 product references in fresh, chilled, and frozen categories (tri-temperature) to professional foodservice operators and artisan food tradespeople including bakers, pastry chefs, butchers, and cheese retailers. The federation combines national purchasing scale with local autonomous distribution and produces its own dairy and cheese brands through cooperative-owned subsidiaries.

Product overview

France Frais is a federation of food product distributors owned by the agricultural cooperative Les Maîtres Laitiers du Cotentin. The network operates over 120 distribution sites across France, offering over 40,000 product references in multi-temperature categories (fresh, chilled, and frozen) to professionals in the restaurant and food artisan trades. The portfolio includes owned brands (Campagne de France with Fairtrade products, Fleur de Pré, Les Glaces de Célestine), award-winning cheese subsidiaries (Fromagerie Réo, Edouard Conus, Lou Passou Bio), regional distribution subsidiaries (France Frais Auvergne, Yéo Frais, Lodipat Océan, RHD Labo), and service operations (PATISFRAIS training organization, Bleu Blanc Chef showroom). The unique producer-transformer-distributor model enables the network to supply its own dairy products alongside 1,700 regional and French suppliers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Campagne de France: Fair trade labeled dairy brand with cheese yogurts and UHT milk products
• Fleur de Pré
• Les Glaces de Célestine
• Laiterie de la presqu'île du Cotentin

Products and services

• France Frais Distribution Network A federation of distributors owned by the Les Maîtres Laitiers du Cotentin cooperative, operating over 120 distribution sites across France. Serves professionals in food service and artisan trades with dairy products, fresh produce, and frozen goods across multi-temperature categories.
• Tri-Temperature Multi-Category Product Distribution Distribution of over 40,000 product references across fresh, chilled, and frozen food categories (multi-temperature tri-température) for professionals in the restaurant and food trades sectors.
• Campagne de France Fairtrade/Max Havelaar certified dairy brand offering cheese products (cheese blanc with vanilla and cane sugar) and UHT milk products (200ml cartons in demi-skimmed, whole, cocoa, vanilla, and coffee flavors).
• Fleur de Pré Dairy product brand line within the France Frais portfolio of dairy and fresh food products.
• Les Glaces de Célestine Ice cream brand offered within the France Frais product portfolio for professional and retail customers.
• Fromagerie Réo Cheese dairy producing Camembert AOP au lait cru, Beurre de baratte salé croquant, and other award-winning dairy products with multiple Concours Général Agricole and Concours International de Lyon medals.
• Edouard Conus Fromager & Affineur Cheese maker and affineur since 1931, producing award-winning cheeses including Reblochon AOP Fermier 'Au cœur de nos fermes' and Gruyère AOP Suisse Alpage.
• France Frais Auvergne Regional distribution subsidiary of France Frais with over 9,300 product references and 393 suppliers, serving bakers, pastry chefs, dairy shops, and cooks in the Auvergne region.
• Yéo Frais Ultra-fresh dairy specialist founded in 1929, based in Toulouse. Specializes in contract manufacturing and private label production for major French and international brands. Joined the cooperative group in 2017.
• PATISFRAIS Professional Training Training organization for food trade professionals since 2018. Offers one-day practical training sessions in a 120m² equipped laboratory. QUALIOPI certified since 2021. Also offers a CAP Pâtissier diploma program starting September 2024.
• Laiterie Gilbert Franchise Network Franchise network of 48 cheese shop boutiques across France, operated independently under the group umbrella. The first franchised cheese shop network in France.
• Catalogue EGAlim A catalog identifying products meeting EGAlim law requirements (20/50% criteria) to help professionals comply with sustainable food purchasing regulations and support French agricultural production.
• Catalogue Restauration Nomade Catalogue designed specifically for mobile catering professionals featuring products for snacking and street food, offering new ideas and solutions for the nomadic restaurant segment.
• Bleu Blanc Chef Demonstration Showroom Demonstration showroom facility in Malzéville where France Frais hosts clients including artisan bakers, pastry chefs, and chocolate makers for product demonstrations and training events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 120 distribution sites covering all French regions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Coopérative du Val d'ArlycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Partnership effective December 1, 2024 between Coopérative du Val d'Arly and Fromagerie Léon Rey. Commercial and logistics teams of Léon Rey manage operations for the cooperative, which focuses on cheese production, aging, and quality control.
• Fromagerie Léon ReycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2024Fromagerie Léon Rey assumes commercial and logistics responsibilities for Coopérative du Val d'Arly, enabling the cooperative to focus on cheese production and quality control. Partnership began December 1, 2024.
• Max Havelaar FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership with Max Havelaar France for Fairtrade certification of Campagne de France brand products. Began in 2022 with cheese whites and expanded to UHT milk products. Focuses on fair compensation for French farmers and sustainable agricultural practices.
• Bertrand HospitalityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShared vision and commitments toward better conditions for farmers, leveraging France Frais's short national circuit to promote and sustain local dairy farmers from Les Maîtres Laitiers du Cotentin cooperative.
• CNOUS (National Center for University Works)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CNOUS network for university dining services. France Frais supplies products meeting EGAlim requirements with local sourcing and sustainable practices, aligned with Max Havelaar and Bleu-Blanc-Coeur values.
• Bleu-Blanc-CoeurminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation partnership supporting sustainable food production and nutritional quality in institutional catering, working with France Frais for EGAlim compliance in university dining.
• Club DemeterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Club Demeter (industrial, distribution, logistics, and institutional actors) to establish a charter for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption in fleet vehicles and distribution sites.
• PatisfraisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSubsidiary providing professional training for artisan food trades (bakers, pastry chefs, caterers, restaurateurs) with 120m² equipped laboratory and CAP Pâtissier certification program.
• Fédalis (Fédération des produits Alimentaires Spécialisés)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for energy sobriety initiatives, with all France Frais subsidiaries collectively working to reduce energy consumption in logistics and distribution operations.
• Veolia FranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognition of France Frais Val de Seine teams for recycling, reuse, and environmental commitments, with Veolia highlighting their waste sorting and organic waste management initiatives.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sysco France: Sysco France (formed from the merger of Brake France and Davigel) is the leading B2B foodservice distributor in France, serving restaurants, hotels, and caterers with broad multi-category offerings—directly comparable to France Frais's foodservice distribution model and target customer base.
• Pro à Pro: Pro à Pro is the foodservice distribution subsidiary of METRO France targeting small and mid-sized restaurants and caterers, with a comparable multi-temperature delivery model to France Frais and significant overlap in independent foodservice customers.
• Transgourmet France: Transgourmet France (formerly Prodirest/Courir) is a major B2B foodservice distributor serving collective catering, restaurants, and independent retailers across France, with comparable fresh/chilled/frozen delivery capabilities to France Frais.
• Groupe Pomona: Pomona is a leading French B2B foodservice distributor (€5B+ revenue) operating specialized networks (PassionFroid, TerreAzur, Delisle, etc.) for restaurants, caterers, and artisan trades—directly comparable to France Frais in customer segments and product breadth.
• METRO France: METRO France operates a hybrid cash-and-carry and foodservice distribution business serving hotels, restaurants, and caterers (HoReCa) across France, competing directly with France Frais in the professional foodservice channel with comparable multi-temperature distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Elior Group: Elior Group is one of the largest contract catering and foodservice operators in France, operating in collective catering segments where France Frais supplies through RHD Labo and partnerships with CROUS and Restau'Co, creating an adjacent comparable in the institutional foodservice value chain.
• Sodexo France: Sodexo France is a major collective catering and foodservice operator, serving as both a customer of B2B distributors like France Frais and a competitor in the integrated catering market that France Frais's RHD Labo and Patisfrais subsidiaries target.
• Bel Group: Bel Group is a major French dairy and cheese manufacturer (Laughing Cow, Babybel, Boursin, Kiri) producing branded products that flow through foodservice distributors like France Frais; comparable as a key upstream French dairy brand competing for the same end customers.
• Lactalis: Lactalis is the world's largest dairy manufacturer and a major upstream player in French cheese, butter, and milk categories; while not a direct distributor like France Frais, it competes in the same dairy value chain and serves many of the same foodservice customers through its own channels.

Emerging players

• Restalliance: Restalliance is a French collective catering specialist focused on healthcare and elderly care facilities, comparable to France Frais's collective catering segment and Patisfrais training subsidiary in targeting institutional food service with regulatory and quality requirements.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/france-frais

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries14 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 France Frais