What Fromages Philippe Olivier does

Fromageries Philippe Olivier is a French family-owned cheese affineur (refiner/maturer) headquartered in Boulogne-sur-Mer, Hauts-de-France, operating across four generations since 1907 and founded in its current form by Philippe Olivier in 1974. The company collects cheeses from approximately 185 small French and European producers, matures 300+ varieties in five traditional red-brick cellars (rebuilt at a new Boulogne site in 2014), and distributes roughly 20 exclusive revived varieties alongside private-label traditional butters, dairy products, prepared cheese dishes, and the co-branded Bière à Frometon pairing beer. It sells through three coordinated channels: a network of approximately 15 owned and affiliated boutiques across France (flagship Boulogne generating €4M at ~20% YoY growth), direct supply to roughly 300 French and 200 international restaurants including Michelin-starred establishments, and export to 17 countries across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

The business model is hybrid retail and trade, with a unit pricing structure (per piece, per kilogram, or per plateau) and a recurring-revenue layer via La Cheesebox subscription boxes in 1/3/6/12-month durations. Distribution includes owned boutiques, an e-commerce storefront, franchise and supermarket-corner partnerships, and direct export relationships. The customer base spans individual consumers, professional chefs and caterers, luxury hotels, and international distributors, with the Boulogne boutique alone accounting for 17 employees per one source. The company is privately held by the Olivier family, has not raised institutional capital, completed its generational succession to Romain Olivier around 2022, and supports the heritage through a Cheese Club, conference appearances, and curated themed selections such as Autour du Champagne and Promenade en Normandie.

Internationally the company has expanded from its 1976 UK entry to 17 countries, with conflicting source figures placing exports at 45-60% of revenue. Distinctive technical assets include hand-managed cellar atmospheres with charcoal beds and elm/beech shelving, lunar-phase wood harvesting traditions, and a registered "Frometon" trademark. The company holds multiple national honors including the 1996 Rabelais Trophy for Best Cheesemaker in France and the Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole (1990), positioning it as one of France's most established artisan affineurs.

Name

Fromages Philippe Olivier

Legal name

Fromageries Philippe Olivier

Website

https://philippeolivier.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fromageries Philippe Olivier is a four-generation French cheese affineur that matures 300+ varieties from 185 producers and sells through 15 boutiques, restaurant supply, and exports to 17 countries, serving consumers, chefs, and luxury hotels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Cheese Retailing and Refining

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Cheese Aging/Affineur Services (Maturation & Cave-Aging) (AFAHABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD)

Keywords

• Aged cheese refining
• Artisan cheese retail
• French affineur
• Cheese maturation cellars
• Premium cheese supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulogne sur mer, Hauts de France

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Boutique Sales: Sales of 250-350 cheese varieties and artisan products (butters, creams, fresh cheeses) to general public through proprietary and affiliated boutique network.
2. Restaurant and Catering Supply: Supply of premium cheeses to restaurants and caterers, including Michelin-starred establishments, representing approximately 25% of business.
3. International Export: Export of cheeses to 17 countries, including Singapore, Dubai, Qatar, Japan, and European markets, representing approximately 25% of sales.
4. Franchise and Supermarket Partnerships: Revenue from franchises and corner installations in major supermarket chains selling Philippe Olivier cheeses at regional level.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fromages Philippe Olivier is a four-generation cheese affineur that collects cheeses from approximately 185 French and European producers and matures them in five traditional red-brick cellars in Boulogne-sur-Mer. The company offers 250-350 aged cheese varieties (including about 20 revived forgotten varieties), along with private-label traditional butters, prepared cheese dishes, decorative cheese platters, themed gift selections, a specialty cheese-pairing beer (Bière à Frometon), and subscription boxes (Cheesebox). Products are sold through owned boutiques, franchises, an e-commerce store, supermarket corners, direct restaurant and catering supply, and international export to 17 countries.

Product overview

Fromages Philippe Olivier is a cheese affineur (refiner/maturer) operating as both an e-commerce platform and physical boutique network. The company offers a comprehensive cheese-centric product portfolio centered on aged cheeses sourced from approximately 185 French and European producers, including 20 exclusive revived varieties. The core offerings include decorated cheese platters (Plateaux de Fromages Décorés), aged cheeses categorized by milk type and region (Nos Fromages Affinés), and private-label traditional butters (Les Beurres de Tradition - Philippe Olivier). Complementary products include dairy items (Crémerie au Naturel), gourmet pairings (Accords Gourmands), prepared cheese dishes (Cuisine de l'Affineur), and specialty cheese-pairing beer (Bière à Frometon). The company also offers subscription boxes (La Cheesebox) and themed curated selections (Sélections Thématiques). Products are sold through the proprietary e-commerce platform (fromage.philippeolivier.fr), owned boutiques, and affiliated partner stores across Northern France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nos Fromages Affinés (Aged and Refined Cheeses) Aged and refined cheeses available across 250-350 varieties, categorized by milk type, region, and cheese family, sourced from approximately 185 French and European producers and matured in traditional cellars. Includes about 20 exclusive revived varieties that had disappeared from production. Sold to individual consumers, restaurants, and international customers.
• Plateaux de Fromages Décorés (Pre-decorated Cheese Platters) Pre-decorated cheese platters offered in various configurations (3, 4, 5 varieties) tailored for occasions including raclette, apéritifs, and fin de repas. Designed for entertaining and ready-to-serve use by individual consumers and event hosts.
• Les Beurres de Tradition - Philippe Olivier Private-label traditional butters including doux, demi-sel, demi-sel croquant, and demi-sel à la truffe blanche, produced in the Pas-de-Calais region and sold under the Philippe Olivier brand to complement artisan cheese offerings.
• Crémerie au Naturel Natural dairy products including yogurts, cream, fresh cheeses, eggs, and milk sourced from local producers, sold as complementary offerings to the cheese catalog.
• Accords Gourmands (Gourmet Pairings) Gourmet pairing products including beverages that complement cheeses, confits and jams designed for cheese, and fine grocery items curated to match the artisan cheese catalog.
• Cuisine de l'Affineur (Ready-to-eat Cheese Dishes) Ready-to-eat cheese-centric dishes prepared by the cheesemonger including apéritifs, tarts, tartelettes, entrées, plats, and desserts featuring cheese, sold as prepared food retail items.
• Bière à Frometon Specialty co-branded beer created specifically to pair with Northern French cheeses, distributed throughout Europe for cheese tastings and sold at retail as a co-branded cheese pairing beverage.
• La Cheesebox by Philippe Olivier Subscription cheese box delivering curated selections of aged cheeses on a recurring basis, available in 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month durations for individual consumers.
• Sélections Thématiques (Themed Curated Selections) Themed curated cheese selections offering tasting journeys around specific themes such as French Art de Vivre, truffles, Champagne, Normandy, Opal Coast, Auvergne terroir, and a European voyage.
• Cadeaux (Cheese Gift Boxes) Gift boxes and gift selections of cheeses for various occasions, sold as ready-to-give presents to individual consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% year-on-year sales growth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Brasserie des 2 CapsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to create 'Bière à Frometon', a beer specifically designed to pair with Northern French cheeses. The beer is now distributed throughout Europe for cheese tastings. The partnership represents the company's innovation in food pairing experiences.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Murray's Cheese: US specialty cheese retailer and affineur with brick-and-mortar shops, e-commerce, and a cheese subscription program. Comparable curation model, aging expertise, and subscription/D2C monetization.
• Beillevaire: French affineur and dairy retailer with a national boutique footprint, specializing in aged cheeses, butters, and dairy products sold under its own brand. Closely mirrors Philippe Olivier's combination of maturing expertise and multi-location retail.
• Paxton & Whitfield: Historic UK cheesemonger (founded 1797) with a royal warrant, supplying premium cheeses to consumers, restaurants, and hotels. Comparable heritage brand, premium positioning, and multi-channel retail model.
• Neal's Yard Dairy: London-based British affineur specializing in traditional aged British and French cheeses, with retail shops and wholesale to top restaurants. Comparable artisanal affinage expertise and chef-driven B2B channel.
• Quatrehomme: Prominent Paris-based French affineur supplying Michelin-starred restaurants and top chefs, with a curated catalog of aged French cheeses. Comparable premium B2B positioning and artisanal maturation.
• Androuet: Historic Paris-based French affineur (founded 1909) with retail fromageries and a curated catalog of aged French cheeses. Directly comparable artisan aging model and premium positioning to Philippe Olivier.
• Marie Fromage: French cheese retailer and affineur with boutique stores and an online store, marketing traditional and aged French cheeses to consumers and professionals. Comparable boutique-led retail model and target customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Fauchon: Iconic French gourmet food retailer with boutiques and international presence, offering premium cheese alongside a broader assortment of luxury foods. Adjacent incumbent with overlap on cheese retail and export channels.
• Lactalis: World-leading French dairy group producing and distributing cheese and dairy products globally. Provides the large-scale industrial context against which artisan affineurs like Philippe Olivier differentiate on craftsmanship.
• Hédiard: Historic French luxury food retailer selling premium specialty items including cheese. Comparable premium positioning and international gourmet footprint, though broader in assortment than Philippe Olivier.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fromages-philippe-olivier

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 Fromages Philippe Olivier