Our Story

les amis du FROMAGE is a family owned and operated specialty cheese store with two locations in Vancouver. With a carefully curated selection of local and imported cheeses, charcuterie and accompaniments, we also specialize in frozen soups and meals, all made in house using top quality ingredients.

Founded in 1985, les amis du FROMAGE is proud to still remain a family owned and operated Vancouver company after over 30 years in business. Current owners Allison Spurrell and Joe Chaput have come a long way since the original shoe-box sized store opened in Vancouver’s Point Grey neighbourhood. You can rest assured that their mission is to continue the company’s reputation of offering the highest quality cheeses, cut to order, along with one-to-one customer service.

les amis du FROMAGE is honoured to have been voted “Best Cheese Shop” by readers of The Georgia Straight, The Westender and The Courier, and has been awarded Vancouver Magazine’s Restaurant Award for Top Food Supplier to Vancouver’s best restaurants and hotels.

Allison Spurrell

Allison Spurrell has been in the retail cheese industry since 1987, when she founded the award-winning Vancouver cheese shop les amis du FROMAGE with her mother Alice Spurrell. Responsible for the acquisition of over 500 different types of cheeses, from across Canada as well as internationally, Allison is an authority on cheese. Allison has been a judge for the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix, and for the retail competition at the American Cheese Society annual conference. She has a certificate in Cheese Making Technology from the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph. She is a member of both the Confrérie des Chevaliers des Fromages de France and the Guilde des Fromagers Confrerie du Saint-Uguzon. Allison also supplies cheese to the chefs of Vancouver’s best restaurants and hotels and has been Voted “Supplier of the Year” by Vancouver Magazine.

Joe Chaput

A veteran in the food industry, Joe began his career in commercial kitchens in 1984. Having cooked at some of Vancouver’s finest restaurants and hotels, he has been a Red Seal certified chef since 1992. Joe is passionate about all things food and wine. When not working behind the cheese counter, you’ll find him behind the scenes sourcing new products, working on web development, social media, and other operations for les amis du FROMAGE. He is a member of the Guilde des Fromagers Confrerie du Saint-Uguzon. 

Riza Lenoras

Riza has worked at les amis du FROMAGE for over 6 years. She works at our East Vancouver store, where she is a specialist in cheese and charcuterie. She is responsible for day to day operations at our East Vancouver store.

Karen Bloodsworth

Karen has worked at les amis du FROMAGE for almost 5 years. She works at our Kitsilano store and is responsible for day to day operations at our Kitsilano store including wholesale orders and shipping.

Hitomi Muraki – Manager

Hitomi has worked at les amis du FROMAGE for more than 10 years. Can we please give her a round of applause? Thank you. Fluent in both English and Japanese, she is more than qualified to help you with anything you need.