Research & Development Centre
The R&D Centre at Château de Villeferry serves three purposes: France Process conducts its own applied research here, undertakes bespoke development projects on behalf of clients, and offers clients direct access to equipment and pilot lines for their own trials.
Whether you are developing a new cheese from scratch, testing a process modification, evaluating a new ingredient or culture, or troubleshooting a quality problem, the centre provides a controlled professional environment with the equipment and expertise to support you.
Facilities & Equipment
800 L Copper Vat
Our principal production vat, suited to alpine and hard cheese work including Comté, Beaufort, and Gruyère-style recipes, and any hard or semi-hard typology requiring large-batch pilot trials.
2 × 100 L Copper Vats
For recipe development, comparative formulation trials, and work where copper surface interaction is a relevant variable
Soft cheese pilot line
4 × 30 L bacs expandable across a range of formats including 200 L demi-bacs and traditional lactic round bacs, configured for fresh, lactic, and mixed-coagulation cheeses
Automated Moulding System, 4-Gang Press & Demoulding Machine
A complete pressing line for consistent, reproducible results across batches.
Configurable HTST Pasteuriser
With integrated capacity for milk standardisation and homogenisation, enabling precise control of milk treatment parameters
Full CIP System
Covering the full facility, supporting validated cleaning and disinfection cycles across all vats, pipework, and equipment
200 L Automated Yogurt Vat & Packaging System
For yogurt and fromage blanc development, starter culture trials, and fermented dairy product optimisation
What Clients Use the Centre For
New recipe development — Concept through to reproducible recipe, with support on formulation, coagulation, pressing, affinage, and sensory evaluation.
Artisan scale-up — One of our particular specialities. We map your existing process, identify what gives your cheese its character, and develop a route to greater capacity that preserves it — from curd handling to affinage logistics.
Process modification trials — Testing changes to starters, pasteurisation profiles, pressing regimes, or milk source under controlled conditions before full-scale commitment.
Yield optimisation — Structured trials to reduce losses at each production stage, with modelling and empirical verification of compositional and processing changes.
Ingredient & additive evaluation — Objective assessment of coagulants, cultures, calcium chloride preparations, and other additives under consistent, documented conditions.
Affinage research — Exploration of ripening parameters and their effects on rind development, texture, and flavour.
Troubleshooting — Replication and analysis of persistent quality problems, root cause identification, and trialling of corrective measures before changes reach the production floor.
Affinage and Maturation
Two traditional limestone cellars provide authentic maturation conditions for hard and blue cheeses, each with precise control of temperature, humidity, and airflow (AQP). A suite of AQP-controlled rooms covers every stage of soft cheese ripening — drying, hastening, and cold maturation — adaptable to each style and rind type. A dedicated incubation room serves yoghurt production.