Long ago, Charente and Charente-Maritime were mainly vineyards. The ravages of phylloxera represented an unprecedented economic catastrophe but they allowed the development of the dairy industry in the region. Furthermore, the first dairy co-operative in France had been created in 1888 in Chaillé near Surgères spurred on by Eugène BIRAUD, henceforth an historic figure.

Nowadays, the Poitou-Charentes region produces cow's milk and goat's milk using the most advanced techniques at the disposal of a quality nationally recognised. Two main co-operatives, GLAC and EURIAL gather together a large part of the production.

Quality is everything with the famous top-of-the-range AOC Poitou-Charentes butter which benefits from a very high reputation and is greatly appreciated amongst gourmets.