Chimay
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1850
- HeadquartersChimay, Belgium
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Chimay firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chimay
- Legal name
- Bières de Chimay SA
- Website
- https://chimay.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1850
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chimay industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Trappist Brewery and Cheese Producer
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)
Keywords
Where Chimay is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chimay
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Chimay business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Beer Production and Sales: Production and sale of Chimay Trappist beers (Red, Blue, Yellow/Gold, Grande Réserve, Triple, Doré). Sold directly at Espace Chimay, through the online shop, and via distribution partners.
- Cheese Production and Sales: Production and sale of Chimay Trappist cheeses (Le Poteaupré, Grand Chimay, A la Bière, Vieux Chimay, Gourmand). Available in various formats including the new 200g block format.
- Hospitality Services: Poteaupré Inn restaurant and brasserie (seating 150+), 8-room hotel (from €90/night), and seminar facilities for up to 28 people. Seasonal menus feature Chimay products.
- Tourism and Experiences: Chimay Experience interactive exhibition (€5.50-€8 admission with optional beer tasting), shop sales, and branded merchandise.
- Charitable Mission Revenue: As a Trappist monastery, the majority of revenue from beer and cheese sales is donated to social projects through Fondation Chimay-Wartoise and Cistercian Solidarity, coordinating regional charitable initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Chimay Experience Exhibition Admission |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Poteaupré Inn Hotel Rooms |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Chimay product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chimay produces and sells authentic Trappist beers (Red, Blue, Triple, Yellow/Doré, Grande Réserve) and Trappist cheeses (Le Poteaupré, Grand Classique, A la Bière, Vieux Chimay, Le Gourmand) brewed and crafted within Scourmont Abbey under monk supervision. Beyond products, it operates a visitor destination (Espace Chimay) with hotel, restaurant, and interactive exhibition, with the majority of proceeds supporting charitable causes via the Fondation Chimay-Wartoise.
Product overview
Chimay is a Belgian Trappist producer comprising Bières de Chimay SA, operating from the Abbey of Scourmont (founded 1850) near Chimay, Belgium. The product portfolio centers on two core categories: authentic Trappist beers (Chimay Red, Chimay Blue, Chimay Triple, Chimay Doré/Yellow, and Grande Réserve including limited collector editions) and Trappist cheeses (Le Poteaupré, Grand Classique, A la Bière, Vieux Chimay, and Le Gourmand). These products are distributed through the on-site Chimay Shop and the online webshop (chimayshop.be), with visitor experiences provided through the Espace Chimay complex — encompassing the Chimay Experience interactive exhibition and the Auberge de Poteaupré Inn (restaurant, hotel, and seminar facilities). Chimay also operates Club Chimay, an international network of authorized outlets, and publishes recipes celebrating its beers and cheeses as culinary ingredients. The company is wholly owned by the monastic community, with the majority of revenue donated to charitable causes via the Fondation Chimay-Wartoise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Chimay Grande Réserve: Premium Trappist beer, available in 75cl bottles with aged variants in barrels
- Chimay Triple
- Chimay Red
- Chimay Blue
- Le Poteaupré
- Chimay Doré
- Grand Chimay
- A la Bière
- Vieux Chimay
- Le Gourmand
- Auberge de Poteaupré
- Chimay Experience
- Espace Chimay
- Fondation Chimay-Wartoise
Products and services
- Chimay Beers (Trappist Beers) Authentic Trappist beers brewed within Scourmont Abbey under monastic supervision, including Chimay Red (Rouge), Chimay Blue (Bleue), Chimay Triple, Chimay Doré (Yellow), and Grande Réserve. Produced following centuries-old brewing traditions with proceeds supporting charitable causes.
- Chimay Fromages (Trappist Cheeses) Trappist cheeses produced using ancestral monastic recipes and fresh milk from local farmers via the Coferme cooperative. Varieties include Le Poteaupré, Grand Classique, A la Bière, Vieux Chimay, and Le Gourmand, also available in a new 200g block format.
- Auberge de Poteaupré Inn A historic pub-restaurant-hotel located near Scourmont Abbey, welcoming guests for over 100 years. Features a brasserie accommodating up to 150 people with terrace, a seasonal menu of Chimay-accented dishes, 8 themed hotel rooms, and a seminar room for up to 28 people.
- Chimay Experience Exhibition Interactive permanent exhibition inviting visitors to discover the secrets, history, and craft behind Chimay Trappist beers and cheeses through animated models, virtual visitor books, ingredient displays, and aroma gardens. Approximately 40 minutes duration, with a complimentary 25cl Chimay tasting included.
- Chimay Shop (Online and On-site) On-site and online shop offering the full range of Chimay beers and cheeses, as well as regional products including cured meats, chocolate, and biscuits, plus Chimay-branded souvenirs such as t-shirts and glasses.
- Club Chimay Partner Network A network of official Chimay outlets, primarily in Italy, founded in 2013. Member venues must serve the full Chimay beer range, use authentic Chimay glasses, and source from official distributors. Members receive exclusive territory rights, advance product news, and numbered Club Chimay plaques.
Quantifiable outcome
- One of only 12 Trappist breweries worldwide, 5 in Belgium
Companies that use Chimay
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chimay technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Chimay partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- BrewrisecoreOfficial Italian distributor for Chimay beers through Club Chimay program. Ensures authenticity, quality, and territorial exclusivity for ~100 Italian partner establishments. Provides preferential commercial conditions and exclusive access to new products.
- Coferme (Coopérative de fromagerie)coreRegional milk cooperative supplying fresh milk from local farmers for Chimay cheeses. Critical supply chain partner enabling the Trappist cheese production with regional milk sourced within the Chimay area.
- International Trappist AssociationcoreGlobal certification body that grants the Trappist label to breweries and producers meeting strict criteria: production within monastery walls, under monk supervision, with proceeds supporting charitable causes. Chimay is one of 12 certified Trappist breweries worldwide.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chimay competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Brouwerij Lindemans: Family-owned Belgian lambic brewery with deep heritage and a portfolio of fruit and traditional lambics. Comparable to Chimay as a heritage Belgian specialty brewer with strong export presence and authentic artisan positioning, though not Trappist-certified.
- Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren: Belgian Trappist abbey famously producing only one beer in extremely limited volumes. Closely comparable to Chimay in model (monastic production, Trappist label, charity-linked), though dramatically more restricted in product breadth and distribution.
- Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Orval: Belgian Trappist abbey brewery producing a single flagship beer (Orval) with distinctive dry-hopping and Brett character. Direct comparable to Chimay given shared Trappist certification, monastery-based production, and charity-linked operations.
- De Achelse Kluis (Abdij der Trappisten van Achel): Small Belgian Trappist brewery producing a range of abbey ales. Operates under the same Authentic Trappist Product framework as Chimay, with monk-supervised production within the abbey walls.
- Stift Engelszell (Engelszell Abbey): Austrian Trappist brewery and the only Authentic Trappist Product-certified brewery outside Belgium. Operates the same certification model — in-monastery production under monk supervision with proceeds supporting the community — and competes internationally with Chimay in the Trappist category.
- Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy (Brasserie de Rochefort): One of the six Belgian Trappist breweries, producing three signature Rochefort ales in extremely limited quantities. Operates under identical constraints as Chimay: abbey-wall production, monk supervision, and Authentic Trappist Product certification.
- Spencer Brewery (St. Joseph's Abbey): American Trappist brewery at St. Joseph's Abbey in Massachusetts, producing a portfolio of Trappist ales under monastic supervision. Direct comparable to Chimay in operating model and product format, with geographic relevance for Chimay's US website.
- Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle (Abdij der Trappisten van Westmalle): Belgian Trappist abbey brewery producing a similar narrow range of high-end Trappist ales (Extra, Tripel, Dubbel). Identical operating model: monastic production within abbey walls, Authentic Trappist Product certification, and proceeds supporting the monastic community.
Broad incumbents
- Duvel Moortgat: Large Belgian specialty brewing group behind Duvel, Vedett, Chouffe, and Liefmans. Comparable to Chimay as a premium-positioned Belgian brewer with international distribution, though operating as a commercial enterprise rather than a monastic producer.
Emerging players
- Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs: Belgian abbey brewery producing strong ales under an abbey association (not Authenticated Trappist Product). Partial comparable to Chimay in the abbey-beer category, operating more as a commercial brewery than a monastic producer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Chimay social profiles
Digital presenceChimay financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chimay leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Chimay subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Chimay funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chimay 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 Chimay
What does Chimay do?
Chimay produces and sells authentic Trappist beers (Red, Blue, Triple, Yellow/Doré, Grande Réserve) and Trappist cheeses (Le Poteaupré, Grand Classique, A la Bière, Vieux Chimay, Le Gourmand) brewed and crafted within Scourmont Abbey under monk supervision. Beyond products, it operates a visitor destination (Espace Chimay) with hotel, restaurant, and interactive exhibition, with the majority of proceeds supporting charitable causes via the Fondation Chimay-Wartoise.
Is Chimay a public or private company?
Chimay is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Chimay founded?
Chimay was founded in 1850. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Chimay based?
Chimay is headquartered in Chimay, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Chimay make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Beer Production and Sales are the primary driver. The others are cheese Production and Sales, hospitality Services, tourism and Experiences and charitable Mission Revenue.
Who are Chimay's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Brouwerij Lindemans, Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren, Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Orval, De Achelse Kluis (Abdij der Trappisten van Achel), Stift Engelszell (Engelszell Abbey), Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy (Brasserie de Rochefort), Spencer Brewery (St. Joseph's Abbey) and Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle (Abdij der Trappisten van Westmalle). Duvel Moortgat is listed as a broad incumbent. Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs is listed as an emerging player.
Does Chimay have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chimay.
What industry is Chimay in?
Chimay's product category is Trappist Brewery and Cheese Producer. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFALAA, Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service). Its SIC code is 2082.