Cheese Maker and Refiner

What Cheese Maker and Refiner does

Mons Fromages (legally MHM SAS, trading as Maison Mons / Mons Fromager Affineur) is a French family-owned cheesemonger and affineur operating continuously since the 1960s across three generations. The business selects, ages, and distributes artisanal French cheeses through a vertically integrated footprint: 14 retail stores across France (notably four in Lyon and locations in Roanne, Renaison, Charlieu, Montbrison, Villefranche-sur-Saône, Aix-en-Provence, and Le Cannet), an e-commerce storefront with cold-chain home delivery via Chronofresh and seasonal Click & Collect, a dedicated PRO/B2B account program for restaurants and food professionals, and experiential tourism via guided tastings at the Tunnel de la Collonge. Hervé Mons, holder of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France title, anchors the company's cheese expertise and signature product development.

The core technology and infrastructure are deliberately traditional rather than digital: aging is conducted in natural caves at Sauvain (with hydraulic wheels for humidity control) and in the converted Tunnel de la Collonge at Ambierle, supplemented by caves at the Saint-Haon-le-Châtel headquarters. Production is internalized through two wholly-owned subsidiaries — La Laiterie de la Côte Roannaise (founded 2016, producing yogurts, raclettes, and flans from locally collected raw milk) and the Fromagerie Artisanale de Sauvain (acquired October 2020, producing Fourme de Montbrison AOP). The product portfolio spans cow, goat, sheep, and mixed-milk cheeses (including exclusives 1924 and Gabietou, both 2025 Lyon gold medalists), cheese platters, raclettes, organic yogurts, flans, and seasonal holiday boxes.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across one-time transactional sales at multiple price tiers (cheese units €3.89–€52.92, platters €28.50–€68.30, holiday boxes, gift certificates) plus experiential tourism, with no subscription or recurring digital model. Customer segments are horizontal: primary individual consumers (cheese enthusiasts, gift buyers) and secondary B2B (restaurants, hotels, caterers). The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding and has earned recognition through Concours Général Agricole medals, Concours International de Lyon gold medals, and an Élysée Palace letter of congratulations.

Name

Cheese Maker and Refiner

Legal name

MHM

Website

https://mons-fromages.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mons Fromages (Maison Mons) is a French family-owned cheesemonger and affineur, operating since the 1960s across 14 retail stores, an e-commerce platform with refrigerated delivery, two production subsidiaries, and experiential cheese tourism in France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Cheese

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Other Food Manufacturing (3119)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB), Yogurt & Cultured Dairy (Yogurt, Kefir, Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese) (CRADACAB), Dairy Spreads, Dips & Cream Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAL)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese aging
• French cheese retail
• Cheese affineur services
• Artisanal dairy products
• Specialty cheese distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-haon-le-châtel

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Store Sales: Sale of cheeses and dairy products through 14 physical retail locations across France, serving individual consumers and professionals.
2. E-commerce/Direct Sales: Online sales with home delivery via Chronofresh across mainland France. Also seasonal Click & Collect service.
3. Professional/B2B Sales: Sales to professional clients including restaurants and food businesses through dedicated PRO accounts.
4. Experiential Tourism: Guided tours and tastings at the Tunnel de la Collonge, including gift certificates for visits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cheese Maker and Refiner (Maison Mons) is a French family-run cheesemonger and affineur that selects, matures and sells artisan cheeses. The business operates dedicated retail shops, an e-commerce site, Click & Collect, a PRO space serving restaurants and professionals, and in-person experiences such as cave tours and tastings.

Product overview

Maison Mons operates as both a cheesemonger and affineur (cheese ager) since the 1960s, offering a comprehensive range of artisanal cheeses along with dairy products and experiences. The product portfolio includes: (1) Core cheese offerings across milk types—cow (Cantal, Comté, Camembert, Gruyère), goat (Buchette de Manon, Mistralou, Barriquet), sheep (Roquefort, Ossau Iraty, Lavort), and mixed milk (exclusive 1924 and Gabietou); (2) Pre-composed cheese platters and raclette selections for various group sizes; (3) House-produced dairy products from owned facilities including yogurts and flans at La Laiterie de la Côte Roannaise; (4) Exclusive specialty products like the Fourme de Montbrison from the owned Fromagerie Artisanale de Sauvain; (5) Seasonal and festive offerings including holiday cheese boxes; (6) Retail store network of 14 stores across France; (7) Experience services including Tunnel de la Collonge tours and tastings; (8) E-commerce with home delivery via Chronofresh and seasonal Click & Collect.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artisan Cheeses A curated range of French artisan cheeses selected, matured and refined in-house by the Mons family and sold to consumers and professionals. Includes raw-milk, soft, hard, blue and aged varieties sourced from French producers.
• Cheese Platters and Gift Boxes Pre-assembled cheese platters and gift boxes offered in multiple sizes and themes for gifting, parties, and corporate use. Available through e-commerce and in-store.
• Gift Cards Monetary gift cards redeemable in Maison Mons retail shops and on the e-commerce site, available in multiple denominations.
• Cave Tours and Tastings Guided tours of the Mons aging caves and tasting sessions open to the public, plus a dedicated tasting calendar and themed events held at the Maison Mons site.
• PRO / Professional Account Supply Dedicated B2B supply service for restaurants, caterers, cheese shops, and foodservice professionals via a separate PRO space, offering wholesale pricing, recurring delivery, and professional-grade product ranges distinct from the consumer offering.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 Gold medals at Concours International de Lyon 2025 for Gabietou and 1924 cheeses
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Slow FoodminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Mons Fromages participates in the biennial CHEESE event organized by Slow Food in Bra, Italy. Hervé Mons has participated since the first edition, showcasing French artisanal cheese expertise internationally. The event focuses on sustainable gastronomy and preserving traditional food practices.
• SWENminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for unique outdoor raclette experiences in nature. SWEN creates bivouac events while Mons provides specialty raclette cheeses cooked over wood fire. Joint 'festins fromagers' (cheese feasts) offered to customers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Androuet: Historic Parisian maison dating to 1909 and a benchmark French cheese affineur/retailer operating stores, e-commerce, and B2B supply. Directly comparable to Mons Fromages in multi-channel artisan cheese retail, curated selection, and aging expertise.
• La Maison du Fromage: French specialty cheese retailer offering curated selections, platters, and gift boxes across retail and e-commerce. Comparable in product format (platters, gift boxes), pricing tiers, and direct-to-consumer focus.
• Marie Quatremer: French cheese specialist with a fromagerie in Lyon and a strong following among cheese enthusiasts. Comparable artisan cheese retail and aging focus in the same key geography (Lyon / Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes).
• Fromagerie Berthaut: French affineur and cheese producer specializing in Époisses and Burgundy cheeses, with retail and direct-to-consumer distribution. Comparable in craft cheese aging, regional French positioning, and multi-channel go-to-market.
• La Fromagerie (UK): London-based artisanal cheese retailer, affineur, and dining concept focused on French and European cheeses. Highly comparable operating model (retail + aging + cheese education/dining) with a similar premium artisan positioning.
• Laurent Dubois: Paris-based MOF affineur with multiple retail locations and a curated French cheese selection. Directly comparable to Mons in MOF talent, premium retail positioning, and aging expertise.

Emerging players

• Terroirs d'Avenir: Paris-based artisan food platform curating and distributing high-end French terroir products, including cheeses, to consumers and chefs. Comparable in direct artisan sourcing, premium positioning, and selective multi-channel distribution.

Broad incumbents

• President (Lactalis): Mass-market French dairy brand and Lactalis flagship, with broad cheese, butter, and dairy product portfolios. Not a direct competitor in the affineur niche, but represents the broader dairy CPG landscape and competitive pricing pressure.

Regional players

• Maison PATURAGES Comtois: Family-run French affineur with multiple retail locations and aging caves focused on Comté and regional cheeses. Comparable artisan aging craft, retail footprint, and French regional positioning.
• Affineur Hess (Hess Käse): Swiss affineur combining cave aging, retail, and online distribution of premium European cheeses. Comparable operating model (aging + retail + DTC) with overlap in the Swiss delivery market Mons already serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Cheese Maker and Refiner