Can you tell us about the Lincet cheese dairy?
Didier Lincet:The Lincet cheese dairy is a family business founded in 1895 which has perpetuated the know-how for 5 generations. Our methods have of course been modernized but our recipes have not changed. Our cheeses are made from cow's milk collected in an area very close to the dairy. It is very important for us to perpetuate our traditions! Today we are present on three sites in the Yonne, the Côte d'Or and the Aube in order to respect the very demanding specifications of the AOP and IGP which imposes on us, among other things, that the production is done on the place of milk supply.
What cheeses do you make?
We make cheeses that are authentic in taste and character. We have Chaource AOP, Époisses AOP, Brillat-Savarin IGP, Soumaintrain IGP, Saint Florentin, Délice de Bourgogne (triple cream), round of meadows… Chaource AOP is the most popular cheese, just like Brillat-Savarin. We also offer cheeses with fruits, spices but also with garlic and fine herbs.
What relationships do you have with the producers?
We maintain very close relations and very strong ties with our producers, who are all located within a maximum of 90 km from the cheese dairy. We make a commitment with everyone to buy all of their milk production for 5 years. Even if we have no use for the milk, we still buy it and resell it. This gives them a certain durability and stability. As for the purchase price, we strive to make it as fair as possible:if our cheeses increase in value then we pass on this increase to the price at which we buy the milk. We have every interest in promoting their milk, we need to have regional milk producers to keep our appellations and above all it allows them to live from their passion. For us, this is fundamental!
What's new?
We make traditional cheeses, so we are very little in the process of innovation. Recently we offered curry and sun-dried tomato “delight” cheeses.
On the other hand, we are innovating on our organic and GMO-free ranges. Since January 1, 2019, 100% of our producers have banned vegetable proteins from GMOs from their cow's diet. It is a strong commitment and significant constraints that everyone has willingly accepted. Now they buy vegetable proteins, necessary for animal feed, in France and in Europe where regulations prohibit the use of GMOs.
