Popular French Food Brands You Can Find In The US

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

France and the United States have been allies for almost 250 years, ever since the U.S. was recognized as an independent country by Louis XVI. Over the centuries, those ties have been tested occasionally, but the tether between these nations remain strong. France has embraced the best of U.S. arts and culture, and food has also provided a robust connection.

In a country that takes enormous pride in its reputation for gastronomic greatness, American fast food reigns supreme: McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC are among the most iconic brands winning over French consumers. But it's not all been one-way traffic. Numerous brands that are household names in France have also gained a foothold on the other side of the Atlantic. Let's take a look at 19 popular French brands bringing a little "ooh la la" to the U.S.

With their squat, solid jars that are as good for storage as they are for slugging a drink into — and iconic red-and-white gingham lids — Bonne Maman jams are one of the most accessible and identifiable French food exports to the United States. Introduced in the 1970s, it is the second best-selling brand in the U.S., with a range spanning more than 25 varieties, including blueberry and Muscat grape. 

There's a lot to like about Bonne Maman. Although it can't be definitively proven, it's possible the company's original founders sheltered Jewish people from the Nazis. The jams themselves are long-lasting and good quality, with lots of fruit, as well as natural ingredients, rather than artificial ones. The first jar you ever buy will be as consistent as the 101st, and with prices starting at less than $6 for Bonne Maman's strawberry preserve it's a delicious, affordable taste of France.

There's a lot of history packed into Perrier's iconic, teardrop-shaped bottle, which has been quenching peoples' thirsts in France and around the globe since 1863. In 2021, the brand was the top seller in United States' convenience stores, generating $48.9 million. That has been helped by advertising campaigns featuring talents such as Ridley Scott and Jean-Paul Goude, who was behind the award-winning 1990 commercial The Lion.

As for the popular bottled water itself, the unique blend of minerals found in the Perrier source in Vergèze and those bubbles is what keeps people coming back for more. In 1985, Perrier With a Twist was launched, which included a dash of orange, lemon, or lime in the water, eliminating the need for people to add it themselves. Since then, the range has been expanded to include several other fruity flavors.

If your cheese scoops up back-to-back gold awards at the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association Awards – in a place called the State of Cheese® – then you know you've got something special on your hands. Président Brie is the top-selling brand of soft cheese in France and Europe, and has an enthusiastic fan base on the other side of the Atlantic too.

Président's brie is manufactured in and sold across the United States, and is described by the company as "soft and creamy with a mild taste." Every part of it is edible, including the rind, which protects the interior of the cheese as it ripens. Président, which is part of the Lactalis Group, makes and sells a wide range of dairy products, including butter and camembert, and can be eaten as part of a winning charcuterie platter, or baked and topped with honey and chopped nuts for a sweet, warming treat.

Created in Marseille by Paul Ricard in 1932 in response to a government ban on absinthe, the powerful, aniseed-based Ricard 'pastis' has become symbolic of the city and a staple of French life. Now sold by the Pernod Ricard company all over the world, this milky, yellow-colored aperitif is also available across the United States. The recipe behind Ricard has remained unchanged and largely secret ever since its creation, though known ingredients include star anise and licorice. 

American writer Ernest Hemingway loved martinis so cold they stuck to his hands but he's also credited with inventing the cocktail Death in the Afternoon, which added a dash of pastis to champagne. Dedicated Ricard drinkers know it is usually diluted with water and a couple of ice cubes. Don't be tempted to drop them in first, as it will cause the anethole — which gives the drink its iconic cloudy appearance — to crystallize. 

In 1975, a commercial for soft cheese said those three little words: "Du pain, du vin, du Boursin" — "bread, wine, Boursin." That tagline endured for 20 years and helped make the product a beloved household name in France and abroad ... including in the United States. Although owned today by the Bel Group, Boursin cheese was originally created in Normandy, and has three flavors: Pepper, shallot and chive, and the original garlic and herbs.

As devotees know, there's a ritual when it comes to eating Boursin cheese, from unwrapping the crinkled, heavy-duty foil that helps keep the cheese fresh, to that first thick smear on a chunk of warm, crusty bread. It's a practical product too, and can be used in a range of recipes as a topping or to bring a garlicky boost to sauces and a variety of dips.

Regular visitors to Ina Garten's website know that Maille mustard is listed among her preferred ingredients she always keeps in her kitchen, but she is far from the condiment's only fan in the United States. Established in 1747, La Maison Maille was the official supplier of mustards to King Louis XV and, almost 300 years later, its products are sold worldwide by Unilever, which bought the Amora Maille brand in 2000. 

A class-action lawsuit in 2019 confirmed that Maille mustard sold in the United States was made in Canada, not France, while on social media people said that Maille mustard from France was hotter and more powerful than its U.S. counterpart. One Redditor noted: "The Maille Dijon that is available in Canada is imported from France." Despite this, the range, which includes the smooth Maille Dijon mustard and crunchy whole grain, old-style mustard remains popular among U.S. consumers.

Nothing offers a taste of France better than a glass of wine, and the Cote des Roses brand from Gérard Bertrand has found a place in the hearts of United States' buyers. All their bottles have a rose design, created by a designer from the Boulle School in Paris. The family-run company describes the unique bottles as the link between love and French elegance, and consumers in the U.S. have certainly fallen under its spell.

The Cote des Roses range takes in tangy white wines and woody reds, but it is their floral, fruity rosé that hits the spot for U.S. fans. The blend of Cinsault, Syrah and Grenache grapes, grown under the warm, Languedoc sunwas among the top 10 most searched-for wines in 2020, according to VinePair.

Anything the United Kingdom can do, the French can do better — or at least try to — when it comes to one particular sweet snack. McVities, Jaffa and Tondi all manufacture Jaffa Cakes: A sponge circle topped with orange jelly and a layer of chocolate. In France, they are called Pim's, and they're available in stores across the United States, as well as online.

Pim's cookies were created as an homage to the British original. Like traditional Jaffa Cakes, are also orange flavored but they come in cherry, pear, raspberry, and strawberry varieties. Californians Tina and Ross, the couple behind Finn Loves Food, taste-tested Pim's against two other brands, and concluded that, although they were good, there was something "different" about them that they couldn't quite put their finger on: A touch of "je ne sais quoi" perhaps?

Many home cooks use dips and sauces to take their meals (like mashed potatoes) to the next level or introduce the family to new flavors. While Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise is a top seller around the world and one of the most popular condiment brands in the United States, Bénédicta, which is eaten by one in three French people, has found a devoted following across the Atlantic too.

With beautifully designed, tactile jars and their distinctive green lids, Bénédicta's range of products isn't limited to its thick, gourmet mayonnaise: It also makes a range of popular sauces, including a creamy Béarnaise, a flavorful Black Peppercorn, and a rich Burgundy, described by one reviewer as: "Absolutely delicious, great accompaniment to any type of meat."

What do Starbucks, The Fresh Market, and Delta Airlines have in common? They're all companies that sell cookies made by French brand Michel & Augustin. The partnership between the Paris-based company and Starbucks is the stuff of legend: An employee of the ubiquitous coffee chain stumbled across the cookies and told his boss, CEO Howard Schultz. He asked Michel & Augustin to send samples for a Monday-morning meeting, only for representatives from the French firm to bring them in person. 

The rest is history, and sweet-toothed customers across the United States have been enjoying dark chocolate and lemon-meringue cookies with their takeaway coffee since 2016. Michel & Augustin – known as "les trublions du goût" or "the troublemakers of taste" in France — opened their e-bakery in 2020, offering a range of delicious cookie squares and cheese crackers.

Some French brands have made the Atlantic crossing to the United States so well, they aren't just sold in the country, they're manufactured here too. Camembert is one of those success stories. The State of Cheese, Wisconsin, is an established producer but it was originally introduced to the U.S. in the 19th century, when leftover cheeses from trans-Atlantic crossings were sold off to locals, according to Eric Delpierre.

It was adored by rich New Yorkers, but attempts to produce it in the city came to naught. Happily, since then, camembert has risen to become a firm fixture in U.S. stores. Devotees have lapped up this cheese's crumbly texture, buttery, sometimes salty flavor, and edible rind. (Did you know cheese rinds can be more complicated than you think.) Popular brands include Hervé Mons, which was explored by Harold McGee in a 2009 article for the New York Times, and the rather more pricey Camembert du Bocage.

Only a French brand could classify its products as a "collection" but La Fermière's distinctive lavender blue pots — echoing its Provence roots — are as pretty to look at as their yogurts are good to eat. The company only uses terracotta and glass containers, which it encourages buyers to reuse, and their products do not contain any chemicals or artificial additives. But they're not the only reasons people in the United States are lapping up La Fermière.

Their range of yogurts includes delicious vanilla bean and orange blossom honey, as well as more exotic flavors such as jasmine and rose. The brand has a line of desserts that have been a hit with consumers in the U.S. too. In fact, La Fermière is so popular, the company established a factory in New York State in 2022, as it aimed to match the 10 million tons of yogurt sold in France. 

France may be world-renowned for its gastronomy but it's nice to know that, even in a country with such a big foodie reputation, ordinary people are able to cheat from time to time. In 1970, the 5-year-old brand came up with a packet mix that enabled home cooks to make perfect crêpes every single time. Since then, Francine has expanded its product range to include ready-made pizza dough and waffle mix, as well as several types of flour. 

The brand is a household name in France, but Francine's crêpes mix is quickly gaining recognition in the United States too, thanks to online marketplaces. It's worth noting that, because it's an imported product, the instructions for the batter mix are in French, but according to one reviewer, they're nothing an online translating tool can't handle and their finished crêpes were "outstanding."

French wine drinkers know about the importance of "terroir" or the influence of the landscape on the grapes, but it's the same for Lescure butter. According to the company, the soil in the Charentes-Poitou region, where it comes from, produces "nutrient-rich fodder" which enhances the flavor of the cows' milk and, eventually, the butter produced from it. 

Lescure butter is a staple of French supermarkets, and consumers love its distinct, slightly hazelnutty flavor, but it has also made a good impression in the United States too, where the appetite for global butter brand (including brands from New Zealand) is huge. Lescure was featured in a review by SAVEUR, which said: "Pastry chefs like François Payard covet this butter because it caramelizes well and yields extra-moist crumb in baked desserts."

When it comes to condiments – particularly tomato ketchup (which is best to keep refrigerated) – you have to go a long way to beat Heinz. But thanks to online marketplaces, French brand Amora's sauces are also getting noticed in the United States and beyond. The company dates back to 1919 and initially found fame by selling Dijon mustard. In 1996, Amora merged with Maille, and three years later the company was snapped up by Unilever, giving it an international boost.

That's why foodies in the U.S. are coming to know and love the French brand not just for its mustard but also its ketchup, mayonnaise, and the Amora Samouraï sauce. This blend of mustard seeds, vinegar, and spices is unique, according to one happy reviewer, who loved that it can be paired with chicken and fish, plus it's excellent with eggs and fries.

The United States' soda market is currently worth $341 billion, and any brand worth its salt would want a slice of that, right? Unfortunately for the makers of French soft drink Orangina, that's easier said than done. The sparkling orange soda debuted in France in 1936, but it took until 1978 for it to hit U.S. shores, where it was initially named Orelia before switching to Orangina in 1985.

Although it definitely had a fan base – social media users were looking for outlets that sold Orangina as recently as 2024 – supply chain problems meant the French brand struggled to get a foothold in the U.S. Luckily, online marketplaces have filled the voids left by local stores, allowing Orangina fans across the country to once again pour a glass of their favorite soda from France.

In 2022, the United States imported more champagne than any other country: More than 34 million bottles worth more than $868 million, according to Media Market. Of all the major labels, LVMH's Moët & Chandon stands head and shoulders above the competition, as demonstrated by the 2024 Brands report, which surveyed the buying habits of customers from 100 global bars. 

The roaring U.S. success of Moët & Chandon champagne, which is closely followed by its LVMH stablemate Veuve Clicquot, could be down to changes introduced in 2019 by cellarmaster Benoît Gouez, according to blogger the drunken cyclist. In a 2022 review, he wrote: "The finish is accentuated by that citrus fruit and lingers for quite some time. Lovely. Not the Moët of my youth, that's for sure."

There's nothing like a chilled glass of something bubbly to make us feel good, but in the United States, people aren't reaching for champagne: They're buying bottled sparkling water. According to Brainy Insights, the North American market accounted for 30% of sales in 2021, and among them is French brand Badoit.

While Perrier is known as the "champagne of table waters" Badoit has been dubbed the "gourmet's mineral water," as it's often served at fine-dining restaurants, and with good reason. It is naturally sparkling and contains sodium bicarbonate, which are both good for digestion. What makes Badoit sparkling water really special — and a bit pricier — is that just 69 million gallons are bottled annually, compared to the 2.4 billion gallons of bottled water consumed in France every year.