Echiré
Échiré is a French dairy cooperative producing premium Charentes-Poitou AOP butter and milk using traditional wooden barrel churning and 18-hour cream maturation since 1894, serving professional chefs, bakeries, and consumers across France and international markets including Japan and Taiwan.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1894
- HeadquartersCelles-sur-Belle, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Echiré does
Échiré is a French artisanal dairy brand operated as a cooperative under Laiterie Terre de Sèvre (SIRET 98258945900014), headquartered at 5 Avenue de Niort, Celles-sur-Belle, with production concentrated at the historic 76 place de l'Église, Échiré facility where butter has been made since 1894. The company produces Charentes-Poitou AOP butter using the last wooden barrel churning method (baratte tonneau en bois) in France — a slow process with cream matured for 18 hours (two hours longer than the AOP minimum) and churned for approximately 2h30 per batch under constant master buttermaker supervision. The product portfolio includes retail consumer formats (100g–250g plaquettes and mottes in doux and demi-sel), professional formats (2kg tourage plates at 84% fat, 5kg and 10kg blocks, 20g/30g mini-beurres), the La Baratte du Crémier specialty cultured line, and complementary whole and semi-skimmed 1L milks.
Revenue is generated through five distinct channels: French supermarket retail, the Atelier de l'Excellence direct concept store in Échiré, direct B2B sales to professional kitchens via the dedicated professional website space, eight branded boutiques in Japan, and exclusive distributors internationally (notably Gourmet's Partner in Taiwan), with stated presence in the USA, Europe, and the UAE. Customer segments span professional chefs, bakers, and pâtissiers (the primary professional segment served via 2kg–10kg formats and mini-beurres), amateur French and international home cooks (via retail formats), and milk consumers. Headcount is 145–158 employees, with a perfect 100/100 score on the 2024 French gender equality index. The brand carries recognition including a Gold Medal (1900) and Grand Prix d'Honneur at the Universal Exposition in Paris; key executives are President Patrick Roulleau and Director Guillaume Ribadière of the Coopérative Laitière de la Sèvre. No external ownership, funding, or partnership capital is disclosed; the entity remains a member-owned cooperative.
Echiré firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Echiré
- Legal name
- Laiterie Terre de Sèvre
- Website
- https://echirelebeurredefrance.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1894
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Échiré is a French dairy cooperative producing premium Charentes-Poitou AOP butter and milk using traditional wooden barrel churning and 18-hour cream maturation since 1894, serving professional chefs, bakeries, and consumers across France and international markets including Japan and Taiwan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Echiré industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Artisanal Butter and Dairy
- NAICS
- Creamery Butter Manufacturing (311512), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Fluid Milk Manufacturing (311511)
- SIC
- Dairy Products (2020)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Salted & Unsalted Butter Manufacturing (Retail/Consumer Packs) (AFAHACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Milk (Fluid & Shelf-Stable) (CRADACAA)
Keywords
Where Echiré is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Celles-sur-Belle
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Echiré business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Butter and Dairy Product Sales: Échiré generates revenue through the production and sale of Charentes-Poitou AOP butter and milk products. The product range includes retail consumer formats (100g, 200g, 250g plaquettes and mottes), professional formats (2kg tourage plates, 5kg and 10kg blocks, mini-beurres 20g/30g), and the Baratte du Crémier specialty line. Milk is sold in whole and semi-skimmed 1L formats. Products are sold through supermarkets, the Atelier de l'Excellence concept store, and international distributors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Retail consumer formats (plaquettes, mottes, 100g-250g) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mini-beurres (20g, 30g) for professional table service |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Professional tourage butter (2kg plate, 84% MG) |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Professional bulk formats (Motte 5kg, Cube 10kg) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Milk (whole and semi-skimmed, 1L) |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Echiré product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Échiré produces and sells premium Charentes-Poitou AOP-certified butter and milk manufactured using traditional methods including wooden barrel churning and 18-hour cream maturation. The product range includes retail consumer formats (100g, 200g, 250g plaquettes and mottes in doux and demi-sel), professional formats (2kg tourage plates at 84% fat, 5kg and 10kg blocks, 20g/30g mini-beurres), the specialty La Baratte du Crémier line, and whole and semi-skimmed 1L milk.
Product overview
Échiré operates as a premium French dairy company producing artisanal butter and milk under the Beurrerie Échiré brand since 1894. The product portfolio centers on traditional Charentes-Poitou AOP-certified butter made using 18-hour cream maturation and wood-barrel churning, available in consumer formats (100g-250g logs and mottes), professional formats (2kg lamination butter, 5-10kg blocks, and 20-30g portions), and the specialty La Baratte du Crémier sub-line with cultured butter. Complementing the butter range are whole and semi-skimmed premium milks in 1L formats. The Atelier de l'Excellence serves as a flagship retail boutique and culinary experience center.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sèvre & Belle: Cheese brand operated by the Coopérative Laitière de la Sèvre, mentioned alongside Échiré at trade shows.
- La Baratte du Crémier
- Atelier de l'Excellence
Products and services
- Beurre Échiré Doux (Unsalted Butter) Traditional unsalted French butter made using 18-hour cream maturation and wood-barrel churning, producing a distinctive hazelnut flavor and smooth texture. Available in 100g, 200g, and 250g formats. Charentes-Poitou AOP certified.
- Beurre Échiré Demi-Sel (Salted Butter) Traditional salted French butter with the same artisanal production method as the unsalted version. Available in 100g, 200g, and 250g formats. Charentes-Poitou AOP certified.
- Beurre de Tourage Échiré 84% MG Professional lamination butter with 84% fat content, specifically designed for pastry and laminated dough applications. Sold in 2kg slabs for artisan bakers and pâtissiers. Offers optimal plasticity for easy lamination and superior flaky texture in croissants, puff pastry, and viennoiseries.
- Mini Beurres Échiré Individual portion butter in 20g and 30g formats, available in unsalted and salted variants. Designed for hotel and restaurant table service.
- Motte 5kg Échiré 5kg block butter for foodservice and professional kitchens. New cardboard packaging provides robust protection and aesthetic display. Designed for clean slicing and precise portioning.
- Cube 10kg Échiré 10kg cube format butter for artisan and professional food service operations. Designed for high-volume production needs with consistent quality and flavor throughout.
- La Baratte du Crémier Specialty cultured butter line made with carefully selected cultures that provide rich, distinctive flavors. Available in unsalted and with crunchy sea salt from Île de Ré. Available in 250g retail and 5kg professional formats for cheese shops and fine food retailers.
- Motte Bois Échiré Elegant butter in wooden mold presentation, available in 250g unsalted and salted formats. Designed for fine dining tables, family meals, receptions, and elegant buffets. Targeted to cheese shops, fine food stores, and restaurant professionals.
- Lait Échiré Entier (Whole Milk) Premium whole milk collected every 48 hours from local partner farms. Features creamy, flavorful taste with fresh cream notes. 1L format.
- Lait Échiré Demi-Écrémé (Semi-Skimmed Milk) Semi-skimmed premium milk from the same local farm network. 1L format for daily consumption, cooking, and gourmet recipes.
- Atelier de l'Excellence Concept Store & Pastry Workshops Concept store and boutique located opposite the historic Échiré creamery. Offers the full product range plus selected local products including cheeses, honeys, jams, and flours. Hosts year-round pastry workshops for children and adults, and summer garden café service.
Quantifiable outcome
- 18-hour cream maturation (4 hours longer than AOP requirement of 16 hours)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Echiré
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Echiré technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Echiré partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Gourmet's PartnercoreGourmet's Partner is the exclusive distributor of Échiré butter and milk in Taiwan. They organized a two-session pastry demonstration with Chef Julien Perrinet at Park Hyatt Tokyo in Taipei and Taichung, showcasing Échiré products to professional audiences. This partnership enables Échiré's market entry and expansion in the Asian market.
- Sèvre & BellecoreSèvre & Belle is a sister brand of Échiré under the Laiterie Terre de Sèvre cooperative, producing specialty cheeses including Chevrot. Mentioned alongside Échiré at trade shows such as Speciality Fine Food in London, demonstrating the cooperative's broader artisanal dairy portfolio.
- Le Jardin de Lydie (Le Bois Plage en Ré)minorLe Jardin de Lydie, a preserves producer based in Le Bois Plage en Ré, partnered with Échiré for a tasting event at the Atelier de l'Excellence on December 16, 2022. The event featured their grandmother-style jams made with care and quality products.
- B. Concept (Architecture d'intérieur)minorB. Concept, an interior architecture firm, partnered in the design and conceptualization of the Atelier de l'Excellence concept store in Échiré. The store was designed to immerse visitors in the Échiré universe, featuring a curiosity space and a workshop area for pastry demonstrations.
- Blue Com (Agence de Communication)minorBlue Com, a communication agency, co-created the Atelier de l'Excellence concept store experience and brand presentation with Échiré. They contributed to the store's design, which includes a curiosity space showcasing the brand's history, producers, and production process.
- Art & Gourmandise (Melle)minorArt & Gourmandise, an artisanal producer based in Melle, is featured at the Atelier de l'Excellence concept store. Their gourmet creations are showcased alongside Échiré products. They are confirmed users of Échiré butter.
- Cathala (Niort)minorCathala, a producer from Niort, is featured at the Atelier de l'Excellence concept store alongside Échiré products. Confirmed user of Échiré butter.
- Fink (Poitiers)minorFink, based in Poitiers, is featured at the Atelier de l'Excellence concept store. Confirmed user of Échiré butter.
- Les Délices du Chai (Île d'Oléron)minorLes Délices du Chai from Île d'Oléron is featured at the Atelier de l'Excellence concept store. Confirmed user of Échiré butter.
- Lopez (Royan)minorLopez from Royan is featured at the Atelier de l'Excellence concept store. Confirmed user of Échiré butter.
- Maison Lemétayer (Cognac)minorMaison Lemétayer from Cognac is featured at the Atelier de l'Excellence concept store. Confirmed user of Échiré butter.
- Papys Gâteaux (Niort)minorPapys Gâteaux from Niort is featured at the Atelier de l'Excellence concept store. Confirmed user of Échiré butter.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Echiré competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Kerrygold: Irish grass-fed premium butter brand with strong international distribution (US, Europe, Asia). Comparable as a premium-origin butter brand competing for the same international consumer and professional buyers, but produced at much larger scale and without a single-origin AOP designation.
- Elle & Vire: Major French premium dairy brand (butter, cream, cheese) owned by Savencia. Competes across the broader premium butter category with deeper retail penetration and significantly larger scale, but without Échiré's AOP-protected single-origin artisan positioning.
- Président (Lactalis): Lactalis-owned mass-premium French butter brand with extensive supermarket distribution. Competes in the same French retail butter aisle as Échiré but at substantially lower price points and with industrial-scale production, making it a category incumbent rather than a craft peer.
- Lurpak: Danish premium butter brand owned by Arla Foods, widely distributed internationally. Targets similar premium cooking and baking occasions, competing for the same professional chef and quality-conscious consumer segments, but with industrial-scale manufacturing.
Direct peers
- Maison Bordier: French artisanal butter maker using traditional wooden churn methods and offering premium cultured butter. Comparable in craft positioning, professional (chef/bakery) channel focus, and premium consumer brand presence in France and internationally.
- Sèvre & Belle: Sister specialty cheese brand operated by the same Coopérative Laitière de la Sè vre. Directly comparable as a co-managed artisan dairy brand sharing infrastructure, distribution, and the cooperative's marketing channels (e.g., Speciality Fine Food trade show).
- Isigny Sainte-Mère: French dairy cooperative producing Isigny AOP butter and cream using traditional methods. Closest comparable in terms of cooperative structure, AOP-protected dairy production, premium retail and B2B channels, and heritage positioning in the French artisanal butter market.
- Beurre de Bresse AOP: Another French PDO/AOP butter from the Bresse region with strict geographic origin and traditional production requirements. Comparable as a competing French AOP butter category targeting the same premium professional and consumer segments.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Echiré social profiles
Digital presenceEchiré compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Echiré financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Echiré leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Echiré funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Echiré 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 Echiré
What does Echiré do?
Échiré produces and sells premium Charentes-Poitou AOP-certified butter and milk manufactured using traditional methods including wooden barrel churning and 18-hour cream maturation. The product range includes retail consumer formats (100g, 200g, 250g plaquettes and mottes in doux and demi-sel), professional formats (2kg tourage plates at 84% fat, 5kg and 10kg blocks, 20g/30g mini-beurres), the specialty La Baratte du Crémier line, and whole and semi-skimmed 1L milk.
Is Echiré a public or private company?
Echiré is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Echiré founded?
Echiré was founded in 1894. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Echiré based?
Echiré is headquartered in Celles-sur-Belle, France, in the Europe region.
How does Echiré make money?
One revenue line is on record: butter and Dairy Product Sales.
Who are Echiré's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Kerrygold, Elle & Vire, Président (Lactalis) and Lurpak. Direct peers are Maison Bordier, Sèvre & Belle, Isigny Sainte-Mère and Beurre de Bresse AOP.
Does Echiré have an API?
No public API is recorded for Echiré.
What industry is Echiré in?
Echiré's product category is Premium Artisanal Butter and Dairy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAHACAC, Salted & Unsalted Butter Manufacturing (Retail/Consumer Packs), with a secondary code of CRADACAA, Milk (Fluid & Shelf-Stable). Its NAICS code is 311512 and its SIC code is 2020.