Brasserie des Franches Montagnes

What Brasserie des Franches Montagnes does

Brasserie des Franches Montagnes (BFM) is a Swiss craft brewery founded in 1997 by Jérôme Rebetez in Saignelégier, Jura. The company specializes in artisanal beers built on spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, mixed-culture barrel aging in old wine oak barrels (red wine, Calvados, rum, sherry, Sauterne, Champagne), and the use of atypical ingredients such as Sarawak pepper, sage, matcha, and green tea. Its flagship product L'Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien is aged 12 months in oak barrels and was named the world's best barley wine by The New York Times in 2009. The portfolio spans 14+ beers including La Salamandre, Koalager, La Brouette, La BATS, La Torpille, Cuvée Alex Le Rouge, La Biscotte, Cidre Saïdah, and a non-alcoholic d'Zéronimo, plus a craft gin (Gnôle des Franches) distilled by Morand Distillery in Martigny and a beer mustard.

BFM operates a single production facility at Chemin des Buissons 8, Saignelégier, where it also runs an on-site bar and restaurant open Wednesday through Sunday. Revenue is generated through eight distinct streams: e-commerce beer sales via Sumupstore, on-site bar and restaurant transactions, monthly home delivery subscriptions (three tiers from CHF 53 to CHF 106/month) limited to cantons Jura, Neuchâtel and Bernese Jura, brewery tours and tastings priced CHF 28-69 per person, equipment rental for events (taps, bar trailers, fridges, kegs) tied to beer purchases, and B2B subcontract brewing and consulting for other breweries starting at CHF 52 per 20 hL barrel. Customers include craft beer connoisseurs, gastronomy and fine-dining establishments, group event organizers, local Swiss households, and other craft breweries outsourcing production.

Name

Brasserie des Franches Montagnes

Legal name

Brasserie BFM SA

Website

https://brasseriebfm.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Brasserie des Franches Montagnes (BFM) is a Swiss craft brewery in Saignelégier, Jura, founded in 1997 by Jérôme Rebetez, producing barrel-aged specialty beers for connoisseurs, gastronomy, and event channels via on-site bar, e-commerce, subscriptions, tours, and subcontract brewing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (312120), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Craft Brewing (AFAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microbreweries & Craft Breweries (THAFALAC), Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA), Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Barrel-aged ales
• Brewery tours tastings
• Contract brewing services
• Artisan beer production

Headquarters

HQ city

Saignelégier

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Beer sales (e-commerce): Direct consumer sales of bottled and kegged beer through the Sumupstore e-commerce platform, available for delivery or pickup at the Saignelégier brewery. Includes flagship beers such as La Salamandre (5.5%), Koalager (4.2%), and the full specialty portfolio.
2. On-site bar and restaurant: The brewery operates a bar and restaurant on-premises, open Wednesday through Sunday, serving home-cooked meals and the full beer portfolio by the glass. Opening hours vary by day, with extended hours on Fridays (11:36–01:27) and Saturdays (10:06–01:22).
3. Subscription home delivery: Monthly beer subscription delivered to homes in cantons Jura, Neuchâtel, and Bernese Jura. Three plans: Piccolo (1 delivery, 1–4 cases from CHF 53 + CHF 5 delivery), BFM Grill Academy (5 deliveries, 2 cases/month from CHF 106/month), Pro de l'Apéro (10 deliveries, from CHF 106/month).
4. Equipment rental: Rental of draft beer machines, bar trailers, refrigerators, tables, counters, BFM branded cups, and real tableware for events. Rental is conditional on purchase of BFM beers. Kegs also available separately (20L).
5. Subcontracting and consulting: Subcontract brewing services for other breweries: brewing, bottling, kegging, labeling, washing. Starting from CHF 52 per barrel (20 hL + racking). Consulting services for recipe adaptation and process optimization using BFM's expertise.
6. Brewery tours and tastings: Paid guided tours and beer tasting experiences at the Saignelégier brewery. Options include Tour and Tasting (CHF 28/person), Aperitif-Tasting (CHF 32/person), Tour-Aperitif-Tasting (CHF 38/person), and Premium Tour (CHF 69/person), all with minimum group pricing.
7. Event venue hire and hosted events: The brewery hosts a wide range of events including Brassin Public, Hopscene music series, Bon-Chien & Friends festivals, comedy nights, and private bookings. Groups of 15–276 can book meals and events on-site.
8. Gin and ancillary products: Sale of Gnôle des Franches brewery gin (40% ABV) and La Moutarde beer mustard as ancillary products in the BFM portfolio.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Brasserie BFM brews a diverse portfolio of artisanal Swiss craft beers using spontaneous wild-yeast fermentation and oak barrel aging, including wheat beers, IPAs, lagers, sour ales, imperial stouts, and a flagship barrel-aged barley wine. The company complements its core brewing business with ancillary products (brewery gin and beer mustard), contract brewing and consulting for other breweries, on-site bar and restaurant, equipment rental for events, monthly home delivery subscription, and guided brewery tours and tastings.

Product overview

Brasserie des Franches Montagnes (BFM) is a Swiss artisan brewery in Saignelégier, Jura, founded by Jérôme Rebetez in 1997. The company produces a diverse portfolio of specialty beers including wheat beers (La Salamandre), lagers (Koalager), non-alcoholic IPA (d'Zéronimo), amber ales (La Brouette), smoked beers (La BATS), IPAs (La Biscotte), imperial stouts (Cuvée Alex Le Rouge), and barrel-aged sour ales (L'Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien, La Saison). Beyond beer, BFM offers craft gin (Gnôle des Franches), beer mustard (La Moutarde), and gift packages (Coffret classique, Coffret prestige de Luxe ASBC). The company provides equipment rental for events, contract brewing services, and home delivery subscriptions. BFM also operates a bar/restaurant and offers guided brewery tours with tastings. The flagship L'Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien, aged 12 months in oak barrels, was named the world's best barley wine by the New York Times in 2009.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• La Salamandre Wheat beer (blanche) at 5.5% ABV, the original BFM beer; fresh and spicy with floral and tangy bouquet, creamy texture with light acidity and notes of bitter orange zest. Available in 33cl bottles, on tap, and 20L kegs.
• Koalager Lager beer at 4.2% ABV, described as frankly drinkable lager. Available in 33cl, on tap, and 20L kegs.
• d'Zéronimo Non-alcoholic IPA at 0.4% ABV, aromatic and sugar-free, specially developed for rapid rehydration after physical exercise.
• La Brouette Amber ale brewed with green tea at 5% ABV, malty and smoothly herbal with a hint of Japanese green tea extract.
• La Salamandre basilic Spicy wheat ale with basil at 5.5% ABV.
• La BATS Smoked red amber ale at 6% ABV brewed with smoked malts and Chinese smoked tea (Tarry Suchong), earthy and malty with tannic tea flavor and subtle smokiness.
• La Meule Blonde ale with sage at 6% ABV, with subtle bouquet, intense herbal aroma, balanced and complex.
• La Djéronimo White IPA at 5.3% ABV, hopped wheat ale with oat, intense fruity citrus peel notes, peppery and floral, refreshing bitterness.
• La Torpille Brown ale at 7.5% ABV, fruity and spicy with caramelized notes, brewed with cinnamon, cloves, and plums.
• Cuvée Alex Le Rouge Imperial stout at 10.276% ABV, black, intense and complex, well-balanced roasted, fruity and liquorice notes with mild bitterness and a hint of sweetness.
• La Saison Barrel aged fruity sour ale at 6% ABV, historical blend with half aged 6 months in oak barrels, remarkably complex with wild yeast character.
• La Biscotte West Coast IPA at 6.5% ABV, spring IPA with Cascade, Simcoe and Mosaic hops, refermented in barrels and bottles.
• Cidre Saïdah Brewery cider at 6% ABV, produced from apples and pears from the Jura region.
• L'Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Flagship barrel aged strong sour ale aged one year in old wine oak barrels, using mixed fermentation with wild yeasts and meticulous barrel blending of selected oak barrels to achieve remarkable complexity, balance, and long finish comparable to fine wines.
• Gin de Brasserie - Gnôle des Franches Brewery gin at 40% ABV, distilled from BFM beer alcohol and infused with a proprietary blend of herbs and spices including juniper, peppers, cardamom, ginger, hyssop, matcha, yuzu, and pink berries. Distilled and bottled by the Morand distillery in Martigny.
• La Moutarde Coarse-grained beer mustard produced by BFM, sold as an ancillary branded food product.
• Equipment Rental Event equipment rental service including tap machines (CHF 45/weekend), bar trailers with 4 taps (CHF 400), refrigerators (CHF 50), tables, counters, BFM branded reusable cups, and 20L beer kegs (CHF 105-175). Available only with purchase of BFM beers.
• Subcontracting and Consulting Contract brewing, bottling, kegging, labeling, and washing services at the BFM facility for other breweries, with pricing from CHF 52 per 20 hL barrel plus racking and CHF 1.40 per bottle. Includes consulting for beer recipe development and process optimization.
• Home Delivery Subscription Monthly subscription home delivery service delivering 20-bottle cases of BFM beers to homes in cantons Jura, Neuchâtel, and Bernese Jura. Three plans: Piccolo (single delivery from CHF 53 + CHF 5 delivery), BFM Grill Academy (5 deliveries from CHF 106/month), Pro de l'Apéro (10 deliveries from CHF 106/month).
• Brewery Tours and Tastings Guided brewery tours with tastings at the Saignelégier brewery. Four pricing tiers: Tour and Tasting (CHF 28/person, min CHF 150), Aperitif-Tasting (CHF 32/person, min CHF 150), Tour-Aperitif-Tasting (CHF 38/person, min CHF 150), and Premium Tour (CHF 69/person, min CHF 200) led by the founder or brewer through the barrel cellar with vintage beers and charcuterie. Available Thursday to Saturday for groups of 8 to 276.

Quantifiable outcome

• L'Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien was named best barley wine in the world by The New York Times in 2009
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• InfomaniakminorOthersBFM's website and access statistics are hosted exclusively on Swiss servers by Infomaniak, their hosting partner. This ensures data residency within Switzerland.
• Morand Distillery (Martigny)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerThe Morand distillery in Martigny handles the distillation and bottling of BFM's Gnôle des Franches brewery gin. BFM brews the beer whose distilled alcohol is then infused with herbs and spices at Morand's facility, producing the final gin product.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Brasserie de Chimay: Belgian Trappist brewery pairing barrel-aged, complex beers with gastronomy and on-site hospitality. Comparable to BFM for its premium, complex ales marketed to gastronomy and connoisseur segments, though much larger in scale.

Direct peers

• Allagash Brewing Company: Maine craft brewery known for Belgian-inspired, barrel-aged wild ales and a strong on-site experience. Directly comparable to BFM for its wild/spontaneous fermentation program and food-pairing-focused positioning.
• The Bruery: California craft brewery specializing in barrel-aged strong ales and sours with club/consumer-direct distribution. Closely matches BFM's barrel-aged, anniversary-style flagship releases and emphasis on limited/premium offerings.
• Brasserie Cantillon: Brussels-based lambic brewery producing spontaneously fermented, barrel-aged beers with on-site tours and a museum. Most directly comparable to BFM for its wild-yeast fermentation, oak-barrel aging, tour-led revenue, and small-scale artisan ethos.
• Dogfish Head Brewery: American craft brewery known for off-centered, adjunct-driven beers and culinary experimentation. Comparable to BFM for its use of atypical ingredients (e.g., Sarawak pepper, sage) and bold-flavor recipe development.
• Russian River Brewing Company: California craft brewery renowned for barrel-aged sours, spontaneous fermentation, and on-site hospitality. Directly comparable to BFM's barrel-aging program, premium positioning, and experiential tourism-driven GTM.
• Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales: Michigan brewer of barrel-aged, mixed-fermentation sour ales with on-site dining. Comparable to BFM for its commitment to oak-barrel aging, wild yeasts, and food-pairing-driven hospitality model.

Broad incumbents

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Large-scale US craft brewery with on-site brewery tours and broad SKU portfolio. Comparable to BFM as a craft beer broad incumbent with hospitality revenue, though vastly larger and less artisan-positioned.
• Brasserie Feldschlösschen: Switzerland's largest brewery, holding the dominant domestic share. Comparable to BFM as a Swiss market participant with broad SKU portfolio, against which BFM competes on premium/craft differentiation.
• Brooklyn Brewery: Established craft brewery with strong flagship identity, on-site taproom experiences, and global distribution. Comparable to BFM as a craft brand that leverages both on-premise hospitality and retail distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/brasseriebfm
• Instagraminstagram.com/brasseriebfm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brasserie-des-franches-montagnes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Brasserie des Franches Montagnes