Danone Petit Suisse fresh cheese

Petit Suisse is a globally recognized fresh, unripened cheese that originated in the Normandy region of France in the 1850s. Despite its name, which means "Little Swiss," the product was born in France when a Swiss employee at a dairy owned by Madame Hérould suggested enriching cheese curds with cream to create a smoother, more indulgent texture.

The brand was commercialized and industrialized by Charles Gervais, who collaborated with Madame Hérould and eventually bought her shares. The Gervais brand became synonymous with Petit Suisse, scaling production and transporting the product to Paris via rail. In 1967, the Gervais company merged with Danone to form Gervais Danone, and today the product is a flagship offering of Danone's dairy portfolio. While primarily produced in France for the European market, Petit Suisse (or locally localized versions under brands like Danonino) is manufactured in multiple countries worldwide to maintain freshness for local distribution.