Who is Willy ?
According to the legend, the “Servan” or elf of the Alps protected the village’s livestock and homes, and received shepherds’ milk as a gift.
Willy
Founder of the first dairy in the village of Gorgier, Willy collected milk and produced butter and Tomme cheese.
François
Willy’s son François is both a Master Dairy Producer and a genius when it comes to designing and developing manufacturing processes. He set up his first dairy product company in France in 1952.
Christian
Willy’s grandson Christian becomes Master Dairy Producer by the age of 16. He is a constant innovator forever striving to cause an upheaval in habits. An entrepreneur at heart, he creates “Sacré Willy” in 2009 to concoct recipes that are reminiscent of his childhood and grandfather.
Martin
Willy’s great grandson Martin was brought up on quality products andis highly demanding when it comes to quality and taste. Beingborn between two milkchurns and having graduated from business school, he chooses to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps and enters the Ecole de Laiterie de Grangeneuve (Switzerland). He joins Sacré Willy in 2012 to continue writing the family story.
1919
Opening of the first family dairy inGorgier, Switzerland
Willy Guinchard has a stroke of genius! He centralises and transforms milk to simplify the lives of farmers who up until then had to travel to dairies in the surrounding area. His idea is met with open arms and he begins to produce milk, butter and Tomme cheese. Willy gradually becomes a household name thanks to a truly novel idea in the area : he starts doing rounds with a van in the Béroche district and sells his dairy and products and delicacies to the local villagers.
1926
François, in his father’s footsteps
Willy’s son François very quickly expresses his love for the dairy producer profession and decides to begin his apprenticeship and devote himself fully to it as from the age of 16. He learns his trade at the Laiterie de Payerne (famous for its Vaudoises tomme cheese) then at the Laiteries Réunies de Genève.
1952
The dairy, a success story
François develops a real passion for the profession and decides to start his own business. He revolutionises the way in which yogurt is consumed: back then, yogurt is only sold in para-pharmacies in France, but being convinced of its future as a dessert, he produces an unctuous plain yogurt sold in cheese stores.
The dairy is initially set up in a refurbished bar equipped with a cold room. The word gradually gets around town that the yogurt produced there is of exceptional quality and almost unrivalled unctuousness. The company prospers, production increases, and François creates new innovative products including the first yogurt with pieces of fruit.
The dairy is initially set up in a refurbished bar equipped with a cold room. The word gradually gets around town that the yogurt produced there is of exceptional quality and almost unrivalled unctuousness. The company prospers, production increases, and François creates new innovative products including the first yogurt with pieces of fruit.
1967
Christian, the grandson continues his father legacy
Aged 16, Christian decides to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and father. He completes his Master Dairy Producer apprenticeship while specialising in milk fermentation processes. He thus becomes dairy technician in the family business and participates in the development of one of hisfather’s new innovations: probiotic products and “acidophilus” milk which have beneficial effects on digestion.
1984
Christian Guinchard takes over the family business
François passes on the company to his son and entrusts him with the mission of keeping up the production of very high quality dairy products and upholding the passion for innovation.
Two years later, Christian’s keen interest in thehealth benefits of his products leads to the launch of the production of the first baby yogurt with preservative-free fruit purée.
Two years later, Christian’s keen interest in thehealth benefits of his products leads to the launch of the production of the first baby yogurt with preservative-free fruit purée.
2007
Creation of Sacré Willy
88 years after his grandfather, Christian pays homage to him by creating “Sacré Willy”. He comes back to his roots by producing authentic desserts reminiscent of his childhood. He starts by manufacturing meringue made with whites from eggs broken by hand. The left-over yolk gives him the idea of using them for custard, and subsequently a range of desserts is launched.
2015
Sacré Willy expands
After only 8 years, Sacré Willy’s premises are beginning to get cramped. Christian’s son Martin participates in the creation of the newmanufacturing workshop that is required to meet the growing demand. He chooses to setup just below the mountain farms to guarantee the quality of the products.
2019
Martin Guinchard takes over
Having completed a Master’s degree in aroma chemistry at the ISIPCA in Versailles, a Master’s degree in business at ESSEC/Centrale, and having qualified as a Master Dairy Producer from the same establishment as his father Christian and his grandfather François in Switzerland, Martin then joined the company with the aim of perpetrating the family know-how.
Willy
Founder of the first dairy in the village ofGorgier, Willy collected milk and produced butter and Tomme cheese.
François
Willy’s son François is both a Master Dairy Producer and a genius when it comes to designing and developing manufacturing processes. He set up his first dairy product company in France in 1952.
Christian
Willy’s grandson Christian becomes Master Dairy Producer by the age of 16. He is a constant innovator forever striving to cause an upheaval in habits. An entrepreneur at heart, he creates “Sacré Willy” in 2009 to concoct recipes that are reminiscent of his childhood and grandfather.
Martin
Willy’s great grandson Martin was brought up on quality products andis highly demanding when it comes to quality and taste. Beingborn between two milkchurns and having graduated from business school, he chooses to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps and enters the Ecole de Laiterie de Grangeneuve (Switzerland). He joins Sacré Willy in 2012 to continue writing the family story.
1919
Opening of the first family dairy inGorgier, Switzerland
Willy Guinchard has a stroke of genius! He centralises and transforms milk to simplify the lives of farmers who up until then had to travel to dairies in the surrounding area. His idea is met with open arms and he begins to produce milk, butter and Tomme cheese.
Willy gradually becomes a household name thanks to a truly novel idea in the area : he starts doing rounds with a van in the Béroche district and sells his dairy and products and delicacies to the local villagers.
Willy gradually becomes a household name thanks to a truly novel idea in the area : he starts doing rounds with a van in the Béroche district and sells his dairy and products and delicacies to the local villagers.
1926
François, in his father’s footsteps
Willy’s son François very quickly expresses his love for the dairy producer profession and decides to begin his apprenticeship and devote himself fully to it as from the age of 16. He learns his trade at the Laiterie de Payerne (famous for its Vaudoises tomme cheese) then at the Laiteries Réunies de Genève.
1952
The dairy, a success story
François develops a real passion for the profession and decides to start his own business. He revolutionises the way in which yogurt is consumed: back then, yogurt is only sold in para-pharmacies in France, but being convinced of its future as a dessert, he produces an unctuous plain yogurt sold in cheese stores.
The dairy is initially set up in a refurbished bar equipped with a cold room. The word gradually gets around town that the yogurt produced there is of exceptional quality and almost unrivalled unctuousness. The company prospers, production increases, and François creates new innovative products including the first yogurt with pieces of fruit..
The dairy is initially set up in a refurbished bar equipped with a cold room. The word gradually gets around town that the yogurt produced there is of exceptional quality and almost unrivalled unctuousness. The company prospers, production increases, and François creates new innovative products including the first yogurt with pieces of fruit..
1967
Christian, the grandson continues his father legacy
Aged 16, Christian decides to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and father. He completes his Master Dairy Producer apprenticeship while specialising in milk fermentation processes. He thus becomes dairy technician in the family business and participates in the development of one of hisfather’s new innovations: probiotic products and “acidophilus” milk which have beneficial effects on digestion.
1984
Christian Guinchard takes over the family business
François passes on the company to his son and entrusts him with the mission of keeping up the production of very high quality dairy products and upholding the passion for innovation.
Two years later, Christian’s keen interest in thehealth benefits of his products leads to the launch of the production of the first baby yogurt with preservative-free fruit purée.
Two years later, Christian’s keen interest in thehealth benefits of his products leads to the launch of the production of the first baby yogurt with preservative-free fruit purée.
2007
Creation of Sacré Willy
88 years after his grandfather, Christian pays homage to him by creating “Sacré Willy”. He comes back to his roots by producing authentic desserts reminiscent of his childhood. He starts by manufacturing meringue made with whites from eggs broken by hand. The left-over yolk gives him the idea of using them for custard, and subsequently a range of desserts is launched.
2015
Sacré Willy expands
After only 8 years, Sacré Willy’s premises are beginning to get cramped. Christian’s son Martin participates in the creation of the newmanufacturing workshop that is required to meet the growing demand. He chooses to setup just below the mountain farms to guarantee the quality of the products.
2019
Martin Guinchard takes over
Having completed a Master’s degree in aroma chemistry at the ISIPCA in Versailles, a Master’s degree in business at ESSEC/Centrale, and having qualified as a Master Dairy Producer from the same establishment as his father Christian and his grandfather François in Switzerland, Martin then joined the company with the aim of perpetrating the family know-how.