Président

Président is a French brand of cheese, butter and cream created in 1968 by Michel Besnier. It belongs to the Lactalis group, and its first product was a Camembert.

The owner, Lactalis, is a family company from Laval in the Mayenne department. It was founded in 1933 by André Besnier, Michel's father, and over three generations it became the world's largest dairy company, with about 65 production sites in France located close to milk collection areas. The brand's French website is run by the subsidiary Lactalis Fromages.

Michel Besnier was one of the first to make Camembert from pasteurised milk, at the Domfront dairy in the Orne department, to make the cheese affordable for everyone, and one of the first to sell it through supermarkets. He explained the name by saying that in France anyone can be a president — of a fishing club, a boules club or a veterans' association.

Today Président cheeses come in several ranges. Président Camembert covers classic, country-style, small, portioned and organic Camembert, alongside Brie (Petit Brie, Brie Crémeux) and Coulommiers. Président Emmental offers French Emmental Cœur de Meule as a wedge, grated and sliced. There is also the L'Extra Fondant range, grated Comté, the Bûche Fondante goat cheeses, the Plaisir d'Hiver mixes for fondue and tartiflette, and sliced Cheddar.

All these cheeses are made from cow's milk, and on most packs the brand states that the milk is French. Butter and cream are also sold under the Président name.