Our history

On 19 October 1933, André Besnier made his first seventeen camembert under the ‘Le Petit Lavallois’ brand name, prepared with 35 litres of milk collected in and around Laval in Mayenne.

The first page of the company’s story is written and André Besnier’s one-man business is launched.

Very soon, André Besnier hired staff to join him in his cheesemaking venture. The legendary label featuring medieval Laval rapidly became synonymous with quality.

The company was booming, achieving the milestone of 10,000 litres of milk collected in 1948.

The company was renamed “SARL Société Laitière de Laval A. Besnier & Cie” and grew by bringing together ever more farmers. That success was made possible by the proactive and inventive sales policy of André Besnier, now assisted by 25 staff.

A passion for milk, high quality standards, sharp business acumen and the ability to attract the best meant that Maison Besnier camembert appealed to ever more consumers.

As the dairy sector became increasingly competitive, André Besnier expanded his offering by marketing milk, butter and crème fraîche.

Like the camembert that drove Maison Besnier’s success, then sold under the ‘Le Voyageur’ brand name, all the other products were subject to the same quality standards in pursuit of a simple goal: perfection.

An ambitious and strategic thinker, André Besnier was one of the first to launch milk in one-litre glass bottles, under the ‘SSL Le Bon Lait’ brand name. In 1955, his death marked the company’s transfer to his son, Michel. Being just as passionate as his father, Michel Besnier took full advantage of the family’s entrepreneurial spirit and doubled the annual revenue in only two years.

Amidst growing consumer demand and the arrival of new distribution models, the 1960s were a pivotal time for the company.

In a buoyant economic climate and led by Michel Besnier, the company outlined what would become and drive its economic model. Manufacturing expertise, quality, innovation and a focus on the dairy processing business line enabled dynamic external growth.

Several dairies in West France joined Entreprise Besnier, extending the dairy collection area and allowing for larger volumes of milk, making it possible to expand the product range to meet demand from the newly launched supermarkets.

A visionary, Michel Besnier understood the importance of the retail revolution. He created the first milk packaged in Tetra Pak cartons, ‘Lait 2000’, under the Président brand name, which would become the Group’s flagship and radically shape French consumer behaviour.

Brie appealed to Americans whilst camembert reigned in France.

In 1972, being convinced of the potential of the Président brand and its camembert, the company built a modern creamery solely for its production in the Normandy countryside. Boasting the latest innovations, the Domfront creamery is still legendary today and France’s largest soft cheese creamery.

A constant growth momentum enabled the Group to consolidate its positions across the Pond and expand significantly in France.

The 1980s saw an acceleration in its development with external growth operations. In 1981, the company moved into the U.S. by acquiring premises in Belmont (Wisconsin) then building another site in California six years later.

Staying true to his origins, Michel Besnier did not neglect the development of his business lines in France. In the early 1980s, he acquired the Claudel-Roustang and Atlalait creameries, which then represented nearly half of the company and opened the door to the goat’s cheese segment (amongst others).

In 1984 and 1985, investment in the manufacturing facilities increased with the construction of a yogurt manufacturing site in Laval, then a creamery dedicated to emmental in Charchigné, northern Mayenne.

The 1980s also saw the defining acquisition of Lactel, which quickly became the company’s flagship brand for fluid milk.

Operations in Ukraine, Poland, Egypt and Italy expanded the product portfolio.

The acquisition of Locatelli, the third bestselling mozzarella brand, made it possible to introduce new dairy products. The purchases of our longstanding rival Bridel and Société des Caves de Roquefort also expanded the range of local and international products.

To facilitate its international growth on all five continents, Entreprise Besnier took the name of Lactalis Group in 1999. Staying true to his roots, Michel Besnier opened the Cité du Lait on the site of the historic creamery in Laval to showcase milk production and trace the history of the dairy industry.

Michel Besnier’s sudden death in 2000 led his son Emmanuel to take over the company’s reins.

2008 was a major year for the Lactalis Group. Emmanuel Besnier continued its development, particularly with the acquisition of the flagship Galbani in Italy.

In 2007, the Croatian dairy product leader Dukat joined the Group alongside Celia for infant formula.

After Italy, Spain became a major country for the Lactalis Group in 2010, with the successive acquisition of three Iberian dairy players.

In 2011, Lactalis became the biggest global dairy group after acquiring a majority stake in the company Parmalat, the Italian leader of fluid milk.

The acquisition of Itambé in Brazil would enable the Group to become a leader in the Brazilian cheese market. Lactalis remained above all a cheesemaker and a pivotal player in the sector.

Lactalis has made major acquisitions in North America, particularly Kraft Heinz’s natural cheese business lines in the U.S. and the yogurt activity of the Canadian cooperative Agropur.

Our Italian cheeseboard has expanded with Castelli and numerous PDO. The Group has gained a foothold in another country with the acquisition of the Leerdammer brand in the Netherlands.