Jean-Michel Besnier

Jean-Michel Besnier (born 1967/1968) is a French billionaire heir. He is a major shareholder of Lactalis.

  • Dairy heir Jean-Michel Besnier owns 20.7% of French dairy giant Lactalis, based in his family’s ancestral hometown of Laval in western France.
  • His father founded the company in 1933, and his older brother Emmanuel now runs the firm as CEO and majority shareholder.
  • Lactalis sells $20 billion of products including President brie, Milkmaid yogurts and Valbreso Feta.
  • The family also own stakes in Italy’s publicly traded Parmalat and Frommageries Bel, the French maker of Baby Bel, La Vache Qui Rit and Boursin.
  • The biggest dairy producer in Europe, Lactalis continues to expand internationally in places like China and Southeast Asia.

Jean Michel Besnier Lactalis