etablissements dubois-boulay

What etablissements dubois-boulay does

Dubois-Boulay (legal entity Dubois Boulay SAS) is a French artisanal cheese affineur (specialty cheese aging company) established in 1896 in Chavignol, a hamlet of Sancerre, France. The company collects fresh farmstead goat cheeses from approximately 15 partner chèvreries located within a 30 km radius, all situated within the Chavignol AOP protected designation zone, and conducts the affinage process in temperature- and humidity-controlled caves. The portfolio centers on four aging profiles of Chavignol Fermier AOP (Demi-Sec at 10+ days, Demi-Bleuté at 2 weeks, Bleuté at 30+ days, and Grand Affinage at 2+ months) plus specialty items (Le Sein de Nounou, Le Galet Bleuté, Le Grand Vielleux, Le Santranges Bleuté).

The business operates through two channels: a directly operated retail boutique in Chavignol offering tasting experiences and Sancerre wine pairings, and wholesale distribution to a national network of independent specialty cheese retailers (Crémiers Fromagers). A small secondary channel serves restaurants and wine bars in the Sancerre region. The headcount is approximately 20 collaborators split roughly evenly between production (collection drivers, salting, order preparation) and management/administration/boutique staff, with an average tenure near 20 years. Quality control includes bacteriological batch analysis, and the company has accumulated continuous recognition at the Concours Général Agricole de Paris since 1935, including a Prix d'Excellence.

The legal structure is a private SAS with no external investors, parent company, subsidiaries, or disclosed funding rounds disclosed. Ownership reflects the early-2000s unification of four historic Chavignol affineur families (Dubois, Chamaillard, Denizot, Crochet), with current direction held by Isabelle Dion-Boulay and Frédéric alongside 5th-generation affineur Laurent Crochet. A strategic operational partnership with family dairy H. Triballat (Rians, 18) has been in place since 2009 to meet sanitary and environmental requirements. Geographic reach is exclusively domestic France, with tourism partnerships (Maison des Sancerre, Sancerre Tourism Office) supporting boutique footfall rather than export expansion.

Name

etablissements dubois-boulay

Legal name

Dubois Boulay SAS

Website

https://dubois-boulay.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1896

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dubois-Boulay is a 1896-established French artisanal goat cheese affineur in Chavignol, Sancerre. It collects farmstead cheeses from ~15 AOP partner farms and ages them in caves for sale through its own boutique and a national network of specialty cheese retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Aged Goat Cheese

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh/Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Unripened & Soft) (AFAHABAA), Cheese Shops & Fromageries (CRAHAGAD), Cheese Wholesale (AFAIAEAC), Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

Keywords

• Artisanal cheese aging
• Goat cheese affineur
• Chavignol AOP cheese
• Specialty cheese distribution
• Farmhouse fromagerie

Headquarters

HQ city

Sancerre

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Retail Sales: Sale of aged cheeses directly to consumers through the boutique located at the fromagerie in Chavignol, including tasting experiences with wine pairings and regional products.
2. Wholesale to Specialty Cheese Retailers: Commercial distribution of aged goat cheeses to Crémiers Fromagers (specialty cheese shops) throughout France. The company prepares cheese selections tailored for each retailer.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dubois Boulay is an artisanal cheese affineur established in 1896 in Chavignol, France. The company collects fresh farmhouse cheeses from approximately 15 partner goat farms within the Chavignol AOP zone every two days and matures them in traditional caves with controlled temperature and humidity. It offers aged Chavignol AOP cheeses across multiple ripening profiles (from 10-day demi-sec to 2-month-plus Grand Affinage) as well as specialty goat and rare farmhouse cheeses, sold through its own retail boutique in Chavignol and a wholesale network of specialty cheese retailers (Crémiers Fromagers) across France.

Product overview

Etablissements Dubois-Boulay is a traditional French cheese affineur (aging specialist) established in 1896 in Chavignol, specializing in aged goat cheeses. The company's product portfolio centers on Chavignol AOP cheeses offered across various aging stages (Demi-Sec, Demi-Bleuté, Bleuté, and Grand Affinage) and specialty products including Le Sein de Nounou, Le Galet Bleuté, Le Grand Vielleux, and Le Santranges Bleuté. All products are farmhouse cheeses collected from partner producers within the Chavignol appellation zone and aged in the company's traditional caves using artisanal methods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chavignol Fermier Demi-Sec
• Chavignol Fermier Demi-Bleuté Chavignol AOP goat cheese with light blue veining on an ivory rind after approximately two weeks of aging, with a firmer texture and slightly more pronounced goat character.
• Chavignol Fermier Bleuté Fully ripened Chavignol AOP goat cheese with velvety blue mold coverage, complex undergrowth aromas, and subtle notes of dried fruits and goat cheese, aged a minimum of 30 days.
• Chavignol Fermier Grand Affinage Exceptionally aged Chavignol fermier AOP inspired by the traditional 'crottins repassés' earthenware-jar method, with a naturally supple texture, firmer heart, subtle undergrowth aroma, and smooth goat flavor with long finish; minimum 2 months of aging.
• Le Sein de Nounou Specialty goat cheese from Dubois Boulay evoking a maternal form and the Sancerre hill with its tower, available lightly aged or blue-veined, suitable for cheese boards (net weight 250g).
• Le Petit Sein de Nounou Fermier Smaller farmhouse version of Le Sein de Nounou made in partnership with a nearby farmer, with a vegetable ash coating, firm and melting paste, lactic and slightly tangy goat notes, aged 8–10 days.
• Le Galet Bleuté Specialty cheese with melt-in-the-mouth texture, velvety gray-blue rind, white supple paste, and a subtle undergrowth aroma with persistent finish; awarded gold medal as best goat cheese at the Lyon 2021 competition.
• Le Grand Vielleux Traditional goat cheese (formerly called Sancerrois) historically present at Chavignol affineurs, weighing twice as much as its famous cousin, with a white bloomy rind and tender, subtle flavor; aged at least 10 days.
• Le Santranges Bleuté Rare farmhouse cow's milk cheese with a goat aromatic signature, aged like a goat cheese; blue-crusted with creamy, buttery melting paste and goat aromas developed through cohabitation with Chavignol in the caves (net weight 120g).

Quantifiable outcome

• Prix d'Excellence award received, recognizing exceptional quality consistency over multiple years at the Concours Général Agricole de Paris

Named customers1 record

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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• H. Triballat (Laiterie familiale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerH. Triballat, a family dairy based in Rians (18), has been a strategic partner since 2009. The collaboration helped Dubois Boulay adapt to new sanitary and environmental requirements while maintaining their focus on artisanal aging expertise.
• Maison des SancerreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism partner promoting the Sancerre wine region, including fromageries and local producers. Helps drive visitor traffic to the region.
• Sancerre Tourism (Office de Tourisme Sancerre)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial tourism organization for Sancerre region, promoting local attractions including Dubois Boulay's boutique and Chavignol village.
• Crottindechavignol.frminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial website for Crottin de Chavignol AOP, promoting the cheese appellation and member producers.
• La Guilde Internationale des FromagersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cheesemonger guild that organizes the Mondial du Fromage competition where Dubois Boulay has won medals.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Fromagerie Berthaut: Historic affineur in the Burgundy region specializing in aged Époisses and other Burgundian cheeses. Comparable as a traditional French affineur with multi-generational heritage, cave-aging expertise, and AOP-protected product focus.
• Fromagerie Beillevaire: French affineur and specialty cheesemonger with national retail network and Crémiers Fromagers distribution. Comparable as a vertically oriented specialty cheese brand operating boutique retail and wholesale channels across France.
• Fromagerie Guillemot: Artisanal goat cheese affineur in the Rhône-Alpes region with traditional cave aging. Comparable as a small-scale French goat cheese affineur with farm-to-affinage model and Crémiers Fromagers distribution.
• Maître affineur Patrick Agoston: Specialty affineur and cheesemonger with a curated portfolio of aged French cheeses. Comparable as a recognized French affineur focused on premium cave-aged cheeses sold through boutique retail and Crémiers Fromagers.
• Rodolphe Le Meunier: Best-of-France affineur specializing in cave-aged French cheeses with retail shops and global cheesemonger reputation. Comparable as a leading French affineur focused on traditional aging, premium positioning, and Crémiers Fromagers distribution.
• Fromagerie Hervé Mons: Renowned French affineur specializing in cave-aged French cheeses across multiple regions. Comparable as a multi-award-winning affineur serving both retail boutique and Crémiers Fromagers channels with artisanal aging expertise.
• Fromagerie Jacquin: French affineur and specialty cheese producer serving Crémiers Fromagers and foodservice. Comparable as an artisanal affineur with traditional aging methods, multi-product portfolio, and wholesale distribution to specialty retailers.
• Fromagerie Marie Quatrebarbes: Specialist affineur in Normandy focused on cave-aged Camembert, Livarot, and Pont-l'Évêque. Comparable as a traditional cave-aging affineur with AOP cheeses, multi-generational expertise, and premium retail/wholesale channels.

Others

• H. Triballat (Laiterie Triballat): Family dairy in Rians (Cher) and strategic partner of Dubois-Boulay since 2009 for sanitary compliance and dairy supply. Adjacent comparable as an upstream supplier and partner within the Chavignol dairy ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Fromagerie d'Alsace / Maison Huckert: Specialist Munster AOP affineur with traditional cellar aging and artisanal methods. Comparable as an AOP-bounded affineur with cave-aging expertise, regional terroir focus, and medal-winning product quality.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BoutiqueFromagerieDuboisBoulay
• Instagraminstagram.com/duboisboulay
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dubois-boulay

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 →

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