14 MEDALS IN THE AGRICULTURE CHEESE

14 MEDALS IN THE AGRICULTURE CHEESE COMPETITION
Sodiaal asserts its position as a key player in AOC and traditional cheese
sector
The dairy cooperative Sodiaal Union is proud to see its cheese-making expertise rewarded in
the Concours Général Agricole for dairy products held on Monday 24 February during the
International Agricultural Show in Paris.
Sodiaal Group cheeses won 14 medals – 6 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze - through its
subsidiaries Monts & Terroirs, Les Fromageries Occitanes, Fromageries de Blâmont and
Compagnie des Fromages et RichesMonts*,
THE WINNERS:
Gold medals: Comté PDO produced by the Coopérative des Plans et Grands Essarts
(Matured by Monts et Terroirs in Poligny (Jura) – Comté PDO from Chalet de Vevy
(Jura) – Raclette made with raw milk from Chalet de Vevy (Jura)
Bronze medals: Raclette de Savoie (La Bâthie, Savoie) - Gruyère IGP (Verchamps,
Haute-Saône) – Comté produced by the cheese dairy in Plasne (matured by Monts
et Terroirs in Poligny (Jura)
Gold medals: Roquefort l’Esperelle (Roquefort, Aveyron) – Bleu d’Auvergne
Cantorel (Saint-Flour, Cantal)
Silver medals: Carré d’Aurillac (Saint-Flour, Cantal), St Nectaire Fermier produced
by Gaec de Ladrellet, matured by LFO in Lanobre (Cantal) – Bleu d’Auvergne Les
Fromagers Cantalien matured in a former tunnel (Saint-Flour, Cantal) – Cabretou
Secrets d’affineurs (produced in Lons, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and matured in
Villefranche de Lauragais, Haute-Garonne)
Silver medal: Petit Munster with cumin Val de Weiss (Lapoutroie, Haut-Rhin)
Gold medal: Raw milk Raclette round cheese RichesMonts (Besse en Chandesse,
Puy-de-Dôme)
These results put Sodiaal in the spotlight as a major player in France’s cheese-making
tradition and an ambassador for the diversity of terroirs. It also demonstrates how a national
sized cooperative group (Sodiaal is the largest dairy co-operative group in France and the
third largest in Europe) contributes to the sustainability and economic vitality of the
different sectors in the French cheese industry.
Sodiaal Union is the largest dairy cooperative in France, and the third largest in Europe. With
14,000 dairy farmers in more than 70 departments, it is present in all dairy sectors and
processes nearly 5 billion litres of milk for a turnover of over 5 billion euros. Its best
recognized brands include Candia, Entremont and Yoplait (owned in partnership with General
Mills).www.sodiaal.fr
Monts &Terroirs is the Sodiaal subsidiary specializing in AOC cheese from eastern France
(Jura / Doubs, Savoie and Haute Saône). The top operator on the Comté market, it also
makes use of its expertise with a number of AOC cheeses: Beaufort, Tomme de Savoie,
Reblochon, Morbier, Munster and Emmental Grand Cru. www.montsetterroirs.com
Fromageries Occitanes is the Sodiaal subsidiary specializing in AOC cheeses and traditional
cheese from the Auvergne, the Pyrenees, and the South West of France. Roquefort, Bleu
d'Auvergne, Cantal, St Nectaire, and sheep and goats’ milk Tommes are among the cheeses it
produces and matures. www.les-fromageries-occitanes.fr
Fromageries de Blâmont is the subsidiary of Sodiaal that leads on the Brie de Meaux and
Munster markets.
* Compagnie des Fromages et RichesMonts (CF&R) is a joint venture 50% owned by Sodiaal
and 50% by Bongrain. The company is a joint leader in the soft cheeses and Raclette market
with the brands Le Rustique, Lion Heart and RichesMonts.