About Us

 

The bounty of nature and the know-how of mankind.

Between the marshes of the Bessin and the Cotentin and the bocage, lies the Isigny terroir, caught between land and sea. It built its reputation as a prime dairy region in the 16th century.

 

◦                Our History :

 

 

         It all began in 1932 when the first Isigny-sur-Mer dairy Co-operative was formed. In the beginning there were just 42 dairy farmers who joined forces to promote and defend the good name of the Isigny terroir, famous for its milk and butter. In 1945 the Co-operative had 180 members, which rose to nearly 800 by 1970. But it was in 1979 that Isigny Sainte-Mère came into being, following the merger with neighboring Sainte-Mère-Eglise Dairy Co-operative.

The two co-ops had interlocking zones for their milk collections, they shared the same drive for ever higher quality standards, the same ambitions: everything was bringing them together. Both were built on a respect for skills passed down the generations, a respect for the terroir and the men who shaped it before passing it on to later generations. The Isigny Sainte-Mère dairy Co-operative has become a world famous dairy group and today exports account for over 40% of the total business.

 

 

◦                 Our Location:

 

 

          Located between the sea water of the English Channel and the fresh water of the Bessin and Cotentin marshes, the Isigny terroir enjoys a damp and mild climate, as well as a soil rich in clay and silt. The bocage has lush and varied vegetation: the grass is particularly abundant and enriched by the alluvial deposits. The milk from these pastures gains from such generosity on the part of Mother Nature: it is rich in trace elements and has high butterfat levels, which gives all the Isigny Sainte-Mère products their distinctive flavour, starting with the butter and crème fraîche.

 

 

 

◦                Isigny a name for quality: 

          It was important to protect the authenticity of these products and to have the Isigny region officially defined. So, very early on, the Isigny milk producers syndicate invested in applying for the protection of Appellation d’Origine Controle (AOC) status. This was granted in June 1986, when Isigny’s butter and crème fraîche were recognised as AOC products. The Isigny AOC zone comprises 193 communes: 110 on the Cotentin and 83 in Bessin.