The House of Gruyere

What The House of Gruyere does

The House of Gruyère (La Maison du Gruyère) is a cooperative-owned demonstration cheese dairy and visitor destination operated by Société coopérative Laiterie de Gruyères in Pringy-Gruyères, Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. Founded in 1967 with the demonstration dairy opening on 24 June 1969, the venue is Switzerland's first such facility and serves as the primary tourist interface for the Gruyère AOP brand. The site combines a working cheese dairy (4 copper vats of 4,800 litres each, producing 48 wheels of Gruyère AOP daily from 6+ million litres of milk annually supplied by 30–35 co-operative producer members), an interactive multi-sensory exhibition with audio guides in 13+ languages, a 250-seat regional restaurant labelled 'Fait Maison' and 'Terroir Fribourg', the Marché Gruérien retail market, and a 150-seat multi-purpose seminar hall.

The company monetises through five distinct revenue streams: exhibition entry fees (CHF 8 adults / CHF 6 students-seniors / CHF 12 family / CHF 17 combined ticket with Château de Gruyères), restaurant and group menu packages (CHF 26–42 per person), Marché Gruérien retail sales of cheese and regional specialties, seminar and event hire, and pre-booked group/day-tour packages. Distribution is direct via walk-in access (no online ticketing) and group bookings (10+ persons, 48-hour advance), supplemented by partnerships with Swiss Tourism, Fribourg Region tourism boards, SBB rail, combined attraction tickets with Château de Gruyères and Cailler Chocolate Factory, and acceptance programs including Swiss Museum Pass, Swiss Cheese Passport, Magic Pass, Be my Guest, and AG Culturel.

Name

The House of Gruyere

Legal name

Société coopérative Laiterie de Gruyères

Website

https://lamaisondugruyere.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cheese Tourism / Agritourism (Demonstration Dairy)

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Retail-Food Stores (5400), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)

Keywords

• Cheese tourism
• Demonstration dairy
• AOP cheese production
• Agritourism experiences
• Regional specialty retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Gruyères

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Exhibition Entry Fees: Admission fees for the interactive exhibition and demonstration cheese dairy. No online ticket sales; visitors purchase on-site. Adults: 8 CHF; Students/Seniors: 6 CHF; Families: 12 CHF; Combined ticket with Château de Gruyères: 17 CHF for adults. Group rates available for bookings of 10+ people.
2. Restaurant and Catering: The on-site restaurant operated by Christian and Eva Chassot-Saerens seats 250 people with a terrace. Offers regional dishes, set menus, group packages, and fondue. Labeled 'Fait Maison' (house-made) and 'Terroir Fribourg'. Group packages range from CHF 26–42 per person including meals and beverages.
3. Marché Gruérien (Retail Market): The market sells Gruyère AOP cheese, Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP, fondue, clotted cream, butter, regional and Swiss cheeses, bakery products, pastries (meringues), Cuchaule, and souvenirs. Also links to an online shop for Gruyère AOP merchandise.
4. Seminar and Event Hire: Multi-purpose hall with capacity up to 150 people, equipped with beamer, flip chart, sound system, internet, and screens. Available for seminars, family gatherings, and corporate events. Also convertible into an art gallery for exhibitions.
5. Group Packages and Day Tours: Pre-booked all-inclusive packages for groups including aperitifs, 3-course meals, cheese fondue, and combined exhibition visits with audioguides and cheese tastings. School packages available with special rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

La Maison du Gruyère is a working demonstration cheese dairy and visitor center that produces Gruyère AOP cheese from over 6 million litres of milk annually while hosting paying visitors through a multi-sensory interactive exhibition, live cheese-making viewing, an on-site regional restaurant, and the Marché Gruérien retail market. It sells admission tickets, group packages, seminars, restaurant meals, and cheese/specialty products directly to consumers and tour groups at its Pringy-Gruyères site.

Product overview

La Maison du Gruyère is a demonstration cheese dairy visitor center and regional market complex, not a unified software platform. The core offering consists of the interactive sensory exhibition 'Le Gruyère AOP, voyage au cœur des sens' paired with live cheese production observation at the working dairy. Supporting attractions include the Marché Gruérien (regional market), an on-site restaurant, multi-purpose seminar room, cheese dairy hiking path, and children's playground. The cheese products themselves (Gruyère AOP at various aging stages, Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP, fondue, double cream) are agricultural products sold through the market. Group packages combine exhibition access with dining and seminar services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Marché Gruérien: On-site market selling Gruyère AOP, Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP, fondue, dairy products, regional specialties, bakery products, confectionery, and souvenirs
• Restaurant de La Maison du Gruyère
• Sentier des fromageries (Cheese Dairy Path)

Products and services

• La Maison du Gruyère (Main Visitor Center) Switzerland's first demonstration cheese dairy, offering visitors an interactive sensory exhibition about Gruyère AOP production, live cheese-making observations, a restaurant, and a regional market.
• Interactive Exhibition 'Le Gruyère AOP, voyage au cœur des sens' Sensory-based exhibition where visitors explore the secrets of Gruyère AOP cheese making through hearing, smell, touch, sight, and taste experiences, with audio guides in 13+ languages and cheese tastings at three maturation stages (6, 8, and 10 months).
• The Cheese Factory (Demonstration Dairy Production) Working cheese dairy producing up to 48 wheels of Gruyère AOP daily using 4 copper vats of 4,800 litres each, with a visitor gallery for observing production 2-4 times daily between 9am and 12:30pm.
• Marché Gruérien (Regional Market) On-site regional market selling Gruyère AOP cheese, Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP, fondue, double cream, butter, regional products, pastries, and souvenirs.
• Restaurant de La Maison du Gruyère On-site 250-seat restaurant with terrace, serving regional Fribourg dishes featuring Gruyère AOP, set menus, group menus, and fondue. Operated by Christian and Eva Chassot-Saerens and certified Fait Maison and Terroir Fribourg.
• Multi-purpose Hall (Seminar and Event Hire) Event space accommodating up to 150 people, equipped with beamer, flip chart, sound system, internet, and screens. Available for seminars, family gatherings, and corporate events, and convertible into an art gallery for exhibitions.
• Cheese Dairy Path (Sentier des fromageries) Hiking trail between Pringy and Moléson-Village offering discovery of Gruyère's alpine pastures, cattle herds, and authentic alpine chalets, with two itineraries via 'Reybes' or 'Provêta' routes.
• Group Packages and Seminar Offers Customized packages for groups of 10 or more combining exhibition visits, cheese tastings, group menus, seminars, and conference facilities, with school and corporate variants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 670,000+ visitors per year (2019 figures)
• +3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swiss Tourism (myswitzerland.com)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerLa Maison du Gruyère is promoted as a destination on the official Switzerland tourism website myswitzerland.com, which is a primary channel for attracting international visitors to Swiss attractions.
• Fribourg Region and La Gruyère TourismcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe venue is co-promoted by Fribourg Region and La Gruyère Tourism on regional tourism platforms, including joint marketing materials and regional event programming. The Gruyères destination marketing board features La Maison du Gruyère in its promotional materials.
• SBB Swiss Federal RailwayscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic transport access is a key distribution channel. La Maison du Gruyère is located opposite Gruyères station on the SBB network. The venue is linked via regional bus routes to Cailler Chocolate Factory (Broc Fabrique), Bains de la Gruyère (Charmey), Moléson Village, and other regional attractions, enabling multi-destination itineraries promoted on SBB platforms.
• Cailler Chocolate Factory (Broc Fabrique)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint bus route connects Gruyères station directly to the Cailler Chocolate Factory in Broc, allowing visitors to combine both attractions in a single trip. Both are promoted as complementary regional destinations.
• Bains de la Gruyère (Charmey)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint regional bus route connects Gruyères to the Bains de la Gruyère thermal baths in Charmey (Corbettaz), enabling combined wellness and cheese tourism itineraries.
• Château de GruyèrescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCombined ticketing partnership offering a joint admission ticket to La Maison du Gruyère and the Château de Gruyères at 17 CHF for adults, creating a bundled attraction experience for visitors.
• Swiss Museum Pass (Passeport Musées Suisses)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFree admission for holders of the Swiss Museum Pass and its derivative offers, increasing visibility among museum pass holders and creating a distribution relationship with the national museum pass program.
• Swiss Cheese PassportcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLa Maison du Gruyère participates in the Swiss Cheese Passport program (valid until end of 2026), which provides advantages across five demonstration cheese dairies along the Grand Tour of Switzerland, promoting cheese tourism across the country.
• Magic PassminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPromotions available for Magic Pass holders, providing discounted admission and creating visibility among the Magic Pass outdoor activity and cultural experience community.
• Raiffeisen Bank (Member Plus)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFree admission for Raiffeisen Bank Member Plus members, creating a cross-promotional relationship with one of Switzerland's largest banking cooperatives.
• AG Culturel (General Cultural Subscription)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFree admission for holders of the AG Culturel general cultural subscription, promoting cultural accessibility and cross-visibility with the cultural subscription program.
• Be my Guest (Fribourg Region Guest Card)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferential rates for guests holding the Be my Guest card in connection with overnight stays in the Fribourg Region, promoting multi-day stays in the region with La Maison du Gruyère as a key attraction.
• Museum Association of Canton Fribourg (AMCF/VMKF)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLa Maison du Gruyère is a member of the Association des Musées du Canton de Fribourg, providing cross-promotion with other regional museums and cultural institutions.
• Musées en GruyèreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLa Maison du Gruyère is a member of the Musées en Gruyère association, promoting cross-visibility with other cultural attractions in the Gruyères region.
• Cremo SAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCremo SA managed the original cheese dairy operations from 1969 onward, handling the production and commercializing the Gruyère cheese. This was a foundational commercial partnership that enabled the demonstration dairy to focus on promotion while Cremo managed industrial production.
• Fédération des sociétés fribourgeoises de laiterie (Federation of Fribourg Dairy Companies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Federation oversaw the 2000 reconstruction of La Maison du Gruyère and managed the venue and the Co-operative until 2010 under Director Clément Moret, representing a deep operational and strategic relationship with the regional dairy industry.
• 30–35 Milk Producers (Co-operative Members)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner30 to 35 dairy farmers supply over 6 million litres of milk annually to the cheese dairy. As co-operative members, they are both suppliers and stakeholders in La Maison du Gruyère, ensuring supply chain integrity and aligning regional agricultural interests with the visitor experience.
• Interprofession du GruyèrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 1997, the Interprofession du Gruyère (the Gruyère cheese industry governing body) was located at Pringy, elevating the site's significance within the Gruyère AOP production zone and creating a direct institutional connection between the demonstration dairy and the cheese's regulatory and promotional organization.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Sortenorganisation Gruyère / Fromage Gruyère SA: Industry body for Gruyère AOP cheese, located at Pringy and chaired (until 2025) by Philippe Bardet who also chairs La Maison du Gruyère. Highly relevant ecosystem enabler that sets AOP specifications and runs international promotion of the Gruyère brand.

Regional players

• Fromagerie de Villars-sur-Glâne: Regional Fribourg cooperative producing Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP and other cheeses for retail and foodservice. Comparable to the Laiterie de Gruyères as a small-scale Fribourg dairy cooperative selling into similar regional retail channels.
• Moléson Mountain (Télé Moléson): Major Gruyère-region tourist attraction (cable car, alpine toboggan run, restaurants) co-promoted with La Maison du Gruyère via joint bus/rail itineraries. Comparable as a same-region tourism destination competing for the same visitor's day.

Broad incumbents

• Emmi Group: Switzerland's largest dairy processor, marketing Swiss cheeses (including Gruyère AOP) globally through retail and foodservice channels. Comparable as a large-scale Gruyère producer and exporter rather than as a tourism operator.

Direct peers

• Appenzeller Schaukäserei: Switzerland's flagship demonstration dairy for Appenzeller cheese, offering an interactive visitor experience, viewing gallery and on-site shop. It is the closest direct peer to La Maison du Gruyère, operating the same show-dairy-plus-retail-plus-F&B model in a different cheese region.
• Cailler Chocolate Factory (Nestlé): Nestlé-run chocolate factory tour and shop in Broc, a short bus ride from Gruyères. It is a bundled-ticket partner of La Maison du Gruyère and a near-substitute for the same Swiss food-tourism visitor.
• Lindt Home of Chocolate: Swiss chocolate brand experience center combining an interactive museum, Lindt shop, café and chocolate-making demonstrations. Comparable as a branded food-and-tourism visitor destination with paid exhibition entry, retail shop and on-site F&B.
• Emmental Schaukäserei: Demonstration dairy for Emmental AOP cheese with a viewing gallery, multimedia tour, restaurant and shop. Directly comparable to La Maison du Gruyère in format (live cheese-making + exhibition + retail) and a fellow member of the Swiss Cheese Passport network.
• Château de Gruyères: Historic castle and museum in the town of Gruyères with combined-ticket partnership to La Maison du Gruyère. Directly comparable as a paid cultural/visitor attraction in the immediate Gruyères catchment.

Emerging players

• Schweizer Schokoladenwelt / Maison Cailler (Broch): Adjacent Swiss food experience center (already listed as Cailler); included here to flag the broader Nestlé/Nestlé-style chocolate-tourism operators in Switzerland that compete for the same inbound tourist's leisure day.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=upYOBBXY1LA
• Facebookfacebook.com/lamaisondugruyere
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-maison-du-gruyere

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 The House of Gruyere