Famous Maison Mon’s Cheeses in the Roannais.

Many year’s ago we had been pointed in the direction of the Mons Fromagerie in Halles Diderot, a fabulous high quality indoor market in Roanne. Having been told that they were simply the best place to purchase cheese, not only for quality, but also breadth of choice – they sell a range of over 230 different cheeses throughout the year.

The Auvergnat , as Mons was originally named, was founded in 1965 by Hubert and Rolande Mons.

They started by selling on local markets and from a truck selling door to door. Their high quality and constant search for new products quickly won them praise and recognition in the cheese world. As is often the case with successful companies.

From these historic small beginnings a high quality business was born. In the 1980′s when Hervé and Laurent, the sons, started working with their parents the company took great steps forward; with the opening of new stores in les Halles of Roanne, Renaison, Montbrison… and the development of an affinage operation in Saint Haon le Chatel in the Cote Roannaise.

During the 1990′s the company was recognized for its excellence and its know-how, and obtains an agreement to supply the Relais and Châteaux, and Accord Groups.

Fromagerie Mons serves the best restaurants and cheese shops around the world, including some of the royal tables.

A few years ago, the company started fulfilling an international demand : Mons now sells to more than 10 different countries throughout Europe, including the USA and Japan).

Today, The Auvergnat has become Maison Mons – Fromager Affineur, managed by Hervé Mons. After starting under his father training, Hervé went to study with the famous cheesemongers such as Jacques Vernier and Christian Cantin. In 2000 he was awarded Meilleur Ouvrier de France – Best artisan of France, the highest recognition one can achieve in the field of affinage.

In 2002 he receives the title of Best Fromager by the Gastronomic Pudlo Guide. Congrilait, the most important worldwide event of the dairy industry, asked him to organize its 2002 show. The Sirha contacted him for its 2003 International contest of the best cheese board. And this is only a part of his personal and business achievements.

In 2004 he created, with his brother Laurent Mons, a training school Opus Caseus Concept for their customers and other people who want to know more about how cheese is made and its flavour refined.

In 2005 he organised the first International competition Caseus Award, made up of the best cheese makers from 12 countries. In 2006, Maison Mons arrived in the London at the famous Borough Market and created the company Mons UK with a young cheese maker Mr Jonathan Thrupp who has learned the cheese arts with the Maison Mons. Mons also set their feet firmly in Montbrison with the opening of a shop with another of our prodigious students Cedric Lenoir, who took the shop on as a new adventure.

In 2007 we opened the boutique Marechal in the Halles de Lyon, which is run by Etienne Boissy (Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2004) who has been with Maison Mons for many years now.

Most important of all, Hervé Mons travels all over France, searching for the best cheeses, particularly from those farmers who are still using traditional methods of production. Then the cheeses are matured in the Mons caves to develop their aromas and taste.

This is why today, Maison Mons is the official supplier of the best tables around the world and is recognized as the benchmark in specialty cheeses. Maison Mons keeps its roots locally meanwhile recruiting a professional team in each of its shops, and at the same time developing the export market thanks to its extensive range, and unparalleled expertise. Today Maison Mons has 22 people working at its caves in the Roannais, 155 clients in France, and many clients in 19 countries, 130 individual producers in France, 4 cheese shops, and about 190 different cheeses aging throughout the year. Affinage Cheese Aging will always be the heart of the operation.

In 2009 Mons are continuing to expand and are developing a new entity La Compagnie d’Affinage des Caves de la Collogne, which is unique in its realm. They have recuperated and restored an old train tunnel and transformed it into a cheese aging tunnel. This project will be completed in July 2009, and will allow Mons to really differentiate their products from the rest with an unprecedented environment and care for all their many cheeses, leaving Maison Mons with an exclusive range of high quality.products.

Maison Mons is always looking forward.

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Maison Mons: the best cheeses in the Roannais