La Ratonera

What La Ratonera does

La Ratonera is a Colombian artisanal cheesery (quesería) founded in November 2014 and headquartered in Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, with a second listed contact point in Chía. The company produces handcrafted cheeses using milk sourced from small local producers in the Sabana de Bogotá and Ubaté high-mountain regions, drawing on European traditions (Swiss Gruyère-style, French Brie-style, Dutch Gouda-style, Italian fresh pasta hilada) while localizing for Colombian terroir. Its core product portfolio includes award-winning cheeses such as Flor de montaña (World Cheese Awards Gold), Cabritas (Silver), El Duque Naranja (Silver), La Cabra Beoda (Bronze), El Suizito, El Galo, La Cabrita Gamberra, El Monje del Páramo, and El Bambino, complemented by wines, craft beers, artisanal chocolates, charcuterie, jams, and kitchenware. The company is self-described as "the most awarded Colombian cheesery in the world."

Name

La Ratonera

Legal name

LA RATONERA

Website

https://laratonera.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

La Ratonera is a Colombian artisanal cheesery founded in 2014 in Zipaquirá that handcrafts award-winning cheeses from local milk and sells them through e-commerce, a bimonthly subscription club, retail grocery chains, and on-site courses and tastings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Cheese

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Specialty Food Retailers (4452)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue) (AFAHABAB), Farmstead & Local Artisan Food Markets (Retail Shops) (CRAHAGAO)

Keywords

• Artisan cheese production
• Artisanal dairy products
• Cheese subscription service
• Gourmet gift boxes
• Cheese tasting courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Zipaquirá

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct product sales: One-time purchase model for individual cheeses (El Suizito, Flor de montaña, El Galo, Cabritas, El Duque Naranja, La Cabra Beoda, and others), gift boxes, wines, charcuterie, chocolates, and cheese-serving tools. Prices range from $21,500 to $270,000 COP per item.
2. Cheese subscription club: Club de Quesos subscription delivering a curated selection of cheeses every two months. Members receive exclusive access to award-winning cheeses, new product launches, accompaniments, cheese tools, and free shipping. Offered in 'Queso todos los meses' and 'Para los fanático' tiers.
3. Courses, tastings and events: Paid cheese-making courses, tasting events, and private group events hosted at the cheesery. Mozzarella making course at $300,000 COP/person, Intensive course at $1,500,000 COP/person, and private events (20 pax) at $1,800,000 COP/group.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

La Ratonera is a Zipaquirá-based artisanal cheesery that produces and sells handcrafted European-style cheeses from local Colombian milk, complemented by a curated gourmet catalog including wines, craft beers, single-origin chocolates, charcuterie, jam, wooden kitchenware, and themed gift boxes. The business operates a bimonthly cheese subscription club (Club del Queso) and hosts in-person courses, tastings, and visits at its cheesery in Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca. Distribution combines direct e-commerce, national premium retail chains, and specialty gourmet shops.

Product overview

La Ratonera is a Colombian artisanal cheese shop (quesería) founded in November 2014 near Bogotá. The company operates as an e-commerce platform selling handcrafted cheeses made from milk sourced from small local producers in the Sabana region. Their core product portfolio centers on artisanal cheeses including El suizito, Flor de montaña (Gold Medal World Cheese Awards), El galo, Cabritas (Silver Medal), El duque naranja (Silver Medal), La cabra beoda (Bronze Medal), La cabrita gamberra, El Monje del Paramo, and El bambino. The company offers complementary products including wine (Casas Del Bosque, Obra Prima, Ventisquero, Vidilla, Pago De Otazu), craft beers (Rubia Original, IPA, American Pale Ale), artisanal chocolates (70-80% with uchuva, salt, pepper), charcuterie, jams, and kitchenware (cheese knives, wooden boards, graters). Gift box offerings include the Assorted Cheese Box, Fondue Kit, Gift Box, Sweet Box, Special Box, and Pairing Pack. The business also operates a subscription Cheese Club delivering curated selections every two months, and offers educational services including cheese tasting courses, Mozzarella Making Course, Intensive Course, and private events. The company is positioned as 'the most awarded Colombian cheesemaker in the world.'

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• El Suizito
• Flor de Montaña
• El Galo
• Cabritas
• El Duque Naranja
• La Cabra Beoda
• La Cabrita Gamberra
• El Monje del Páramo
• El Bambino
• Kit Fondue
• Caja Surtida de Quesos
• Caja Regalo
• Caja Dulce
• Caja Especial
• Pack Maridaje
• Casas del Bosque Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon
• Obra Prima Reserva Malbec
• Ventisquero Reserva Sauvignon Blanc
• Vidilla Verdejo
• Obra Prima Rosé Cabernet Sauvignon
• Cerveza Rubia Original
• Cerveza India Pale Ale
• Cerveza American Pale Ale
• Barra de Chocolate al 70% con Uchuva
• Barra de Chocolate al 80% con Sal del Nemocón
• Barra de Chocolate al 70% con Pimienta
• Barra de Chocolate al 80%
• Mix de Charcutería
• Cuchillo para Quesos
• Tabla Cuadrada de Madera
• Tabla de Madera Larga
• Rallador de Mano para Queso
• Tenedor Cóctel Denver
• Set de Cuchillos Tova
• Club del Queso
• Cursos, Catas y Visitas
• Tarjeta de Regalo

Quantifiable outcome

• Flor de montaña won Gold Medal at World Cheese Awards
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jasper Hill Farm: Vermont-based artisanal cheesemaker operating its own aging cellars with farm-to-retail distribution. Comparable as a craft cheesemaker with controlled single-site production and a brand built on competition medals and farmstead provenance.
• Rogue Creamery: US artisanal blue cheese maker, multiple World Cheese Awards winner (including 'World's Best Cheese'). Closely comparable to La Ratonera in its dependence on World Cheese Awards recognition, single-origin artisanal identity, and growth via retail + DTC + export channels.
• Vermont Creamery: Award-winning US artisanal creamery producing fresh and aged cheeses, butter, and cultured dairy with a comparable direct-to-consumer + retail distribution model. Comparable as a premium-positioned cheesemaker relying on international competition medals and small-producer sourcing.
• Beecher's Handmade Cheese: Artisanal cheese maker with flagship retail locations, e-commerce, and experiential elements (cheesemaking viewing windows). Comparable in combining manufacturing, retail, and experiential (educational/demonstration) revenue streams.
• Cypress Grove Cheese: US artisanal cheese maker (Humboldt Fog, goat cheese portfolio) with strong DTC, retail, and foodservice channels. Comparable in product positioning (premium goat and cow milk cheeses with European style references) and reliance on competition awards for differentiation.
• Marin French Cheese: One of the oldest artisanal cheesemakers in the US, producing Brie-style and soft-ripened cheeses with retail and foodservice distribution. Comparable in craft positioning and dependence on premium supermarket retail channels.

Broad incumbents

• Bel Group: Global cheese and dairy company (Laughing Cow, Babybel, Kiri, Boursin). Relevant as a broad incumbent whose portfolio cheese brands compete at the lower end of the premium cheese market in Colombian retail.
• Saputo: Global dairy and cheese conglomerate with operations across LATAM, including Colombia. While a vastly larger player, Saputo's commodity and specialty cheese lines compete in the same retail aisles and represent the broader competitive context for premium positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/queserialaratonera
• Instagraminstagram.com/ratonera_queseria?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-ratonera

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 La Ratonera