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The Craft Behind the Vacherin mont d’Or: Valartibois and its Wooden Boxes
The distinctive aroma of Vacherin Mont d’Or cheese is closely linked to the wooden box it’s traditionally packaged in.These boxes, crafted from spruce wood, are made by Valartibois, located in L’Abbaye, Switzerland, within the facilities of Valartibois. As 2021, this is where the boxes for this beloved cheese have been manufactured.
From Forest to Form: the Making of a Vacherin Box
The process begins with spruce logs sourced directly from the Risoud forest. At the Valartibois sawmill, a four-metre-long spruce trunk is processed using a head saw, creating the three essential components of the box: the base and lid, which are only a few millimeters thick, and the “targe” – the wooden band that encircles the cheese.
800,000 Boxes Annually
Valartibois produces approximately 800,000 boxes each year to supply its eight affineurs (cheese agers) partners. This requires a highly efficient workflow. “It’s a very short circuit,” explains Lionel Capt, Delegate Administrator of valartibois. “Our clients, primarily large distributors, place orders around 48 hours in advance. The boxes then need to be delivered to the Vacherin Mont d’Or affineurs within 24 hours.”