Arla Foods
Denmark
EU
Arla Foods is a dairy cooperative with its head office in Viby J near Aarhus, Denmark. It was formed in 2000 by the merger of the Swedish cooperative Arla and the Danish...
European Cheese Brands
Beemster
Netherlands
EU
Beemster is a Dutch cheese brand made by CONO Kaasmakers, a cooperative of dairy farmers with its creamery in the Beemster polder in North Holland. The cooperative has more than 400 member...
Bel Group
France
EU
Bel Group is a French dairy company headquartered in Suresnes near Paris. It dates back to 1865, and in 1921 Léon Bel registered The Laughing Cow (La vache qui rit), which brought...
Bergader
Germany
EU
Bergader Privatkäserei is a Bavarian cheese dairy in Waging am See in Upper Bavaria. Basil Weixler started it in 1902 as a village dairy, and the company is still run by the...
Emmi
Switzerland
Emmi is a renowned Swiss dairy company that specializes in producing high-quality dairy products. With a commitment to quality and innovation, Emmi serves a diverse range of dairy goods including cheese, yogurt,...
Hochland
Germany
EU
Hochland SE is a German cheese maker headquartered in Heimenkirch in the Allgäu. It was founded in 1927, is 100 percent family owned and counts among the largest private cheese producers in...
Kerrygold
Ireland
EU
Kerrygold is the best known consumer brand of Ornua, an Irish dairy cooperative with its registered address in Dublin. Ornua was called the Irish Dairy Board until 2015 and markets dairy products...
Old Amsterdam
Netherlands
EU
Old Amsterdam is a Dutch brand of aged Gouda from Westland Kaas, a family company based in Huizen, in the Gooi region near Amsterdam. Westland Kaas has existed since 1936 and describes...
Président
France
EU
Président is a French dairy and cheese brand of Groupe Lactalis, headquartered in Laval, Mayenne. The company grew out of the cheese business André Besnier started in Laval in 1933, and the...
Savencia
France
EU
Savencia (Savencia Fromage & Dairy) is a French cheese and dairy group with its head office in Viroflay near Paris. The company describes itself as an international, family owned and independent group,...
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Submit SuggestionEuropean cheese brands come from dairies and cooperatives across the continent. This page lists ten brands with a European headquarters, including the French groups Président, Bel and Savencia, the Danish cooperative Arla, the Swiss dairy Emmi and the Dutch Gouda brands Old Amsterdam and Beemster.
Cooperatives and family companies
Several brands are owned by the farmers who deliver the milk: Arla in Denmark, Beemster in the Netherlands and Kerrygold through the Irish cooperative Ornua. Hochland and Bergader are German family companies, and Bel and Président are controlled by French families. None of the listed brands has a non-European parent.
| Brand | Based in | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Président (Lactalis) | Laval, France | Brie and Camembert |
| Arla Foods | Viby J, Denmark | Castello, Dofino |
| Bel Group | Suresnes, France | Mini Babybel, La vache qui rit, Boursin |
| Savencia | Viroflay, France | Caprice des Dieux, Saint Agur |
| Emmi | Lucerne, Switzerland | Swiss cheese and dairy |
| Hochland | Heimenkirch, Germany | Almette, Grünländer |
| Bergader | Waging am See, Germany | Blue cheese |
| Kerrygold (Ornua) | Dublin, Ireland | Irish Cheddar, butter |
| Old Amsterdam | Huizen, Netherlands | Aged Gouda |
| Beemster | Beemster, Netherlands | Premium Gouda |
Industrial brands versus regional cheese
Most of these names are large supermarket brands with steady quality, not small artisanal makers. Protected regional cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Roquefort are sold by consortia and many small dairies, which this list does not cover.
Reading the label
Within the EU, protected designations of origin (PDO) and geographical indications (PGI) name the region where a cheese such as Roquefort or Parmigiano Reggiano must be made. A brand name like Président or Hochland does not promise regional origin, the label does. Brand, headquarters and owner of each listed company are stated on its product page.