Plantin is a family-owned French house, founded in Provence in 1930, that has become the world's most recognized name in truffles and truffle-based gourmet products. From its base in Puyméras, in the Vaucluse, Plantin supplies fresh and preserved black, white, and summer truffles, dried wild mushrooms, and a full range of truffle oils, salts, pastes, and carpaccio to Michelin-starred kitchens and home cooks alike. Through its Plantin Kaviari partnership, the house also brings fine caviar to the same discerning table. Here is the story, the expertise, and how to enjoy Plantin at home in the United States.
Plantin at a glance
- Founded: 1930, in the heart of Provence, by Marcel Plantin.
- Home: Puyméras, in the Vaucluse, one of France's great truffle regions.
- Specialty: fresh and preserved truffles, dried wild mushrooms, and truffle condiments.
- Signature truffle: the black truffle, Tuber melanosporum, known as the “black diamond.”
- Trusted by: France's presidential palace and leading chefs worldwide.
- Caviar: offered through the Plantin Kaviari partnership with the Paris caviar house Kaviari.
What is Plantin?
Plantin is a French gourmet house founded in 1930, when a man named Marcel established a company under his family name in the heart of Provence. From humble beginnings it grew into the major supplier of truffles to France's greatest restaurants. In 1986, Hervé Poron took over the business and expanded it dramatically, growing its reputation abroad. Today his son Christopher Poron continues that work alongside longtime partner Nicolas Rouhier, who joined the family in 2007.
The house is rooted in Puyméras, in the Vaucluse department, close to the historic truffle markets of the Drôme and Vaucluse such as Richerenches and Carpentras. From New York and Japan to Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, and from the tables of the French presidential palace to those of chefs like Daniel Boulud, Jean Sulpice, and Julien Royer, Plantin has become a byword for consistent, expertly sorted truffles. In 2019 the house opened its first boutique and a public Truffle Institute in Puyméras, sharing its knowledge with everyday food lovers.
What kinds of truffles and truffle products does Plantin make?
Truffles are Plantin's historic specialty, and the house works across several species, each with its own season. The most emblematic is the winter black truffle (Tuber melanosporum), nicknamed the “black diamond” for its deep, distinctive aroma. Plantin also offers the rare Alba white truffle (Tuber magnatum), with its garlicky perfume; the summer truffle (Tuber aestivum), milder and enjoyed in warmer months; and the Burgundy or autumn truffle (Tuber uncinatum).
Because fresh truffles are seasonal, Plantin uses appertisation, pasteurisation, and quick-freezing to make them available year-round. Preserved black truffles come in many forms: whole, pieces, shavings, breakings, and juice, including prized “first boil” truffles that keep nearly all of their aromas. Since 2018, Plantin has run a dedicated spreads-and-condiments facility producing truffle oils, truffle balsamic vinegars, summer truffle carpaccio, truffle salsa, truffle pastes, vegetable spreads, and Guérande sea salt with truffle, plus sweet items like acacia honey with truffle.
At The French Pantry we carry a focused selection of these condiments made in France:
- White Truffle Sunflower Oil, a fragrant finishing oil with the garlicky lift of white truffle.
- Black Truffle Sunflower Oil, deeper and earthier, built around the black-diamond aroma.
- Black Truffle Guérande Salt, additive-free Guérande sea salt blended with summer truffle.
- Acacia Honey with Summer Truffles, a sweet-savory jar for cheese boards and pastries.
Browse the full range in our Oil & Vinegar collection.
How do you use truffle products (salt, oil, carpaccio)?
Truffle condiments are finishing touches, meant to be added at the end so their aromatics are not cooked away. Truffle salt is the easiest entry point: sprinkle it over hot fries, popcorn, scrambled eggs, risotto, or roasted potatoes just before serving. Truffle oil is a drizzle, not a cooking fat. Finish pasta, mashed potatoes, pizza, or a simple omelet with a few drops, and use white truffle oil for lighter dishes and black for heartier ones. Truffle carpaccio, thin slices of preserved summer truffle, is laid over crostini, tartare, carpaccio of beef, or fresh pasta for both aroma and visual drama.
A few guiding principles: truffle pairs beautifully with fat and starch, which carry its aroma, so eggs, butter, cheese, potato, and pasta are natural partners. Add a little at a time, taste, and keep the surrounding dish simple so the truffle can lead. Acacia honey with truffle is the sweet exception: spoon it over aged cheeses, warm brie, or a cheese-and-charcuterie board.
What about Plantin caviar?
Caviar reaches Plantin's table through Plantin Kaviari, a partnership between Plantin, the ambassador of French truffles, and Kaviari, a Paris caviar house founded in 1975 by Jacques Nebot and Raphaël Bouchez. Kaviari has spent more than four decades selecting fine caviar and seafood with an eco-responsible, fully traceable approach to sturgeon farming. The two houses joined forces, and Plantin Kaviari was formally born in New York in 2015 as an international fine-food house pairing the world's best truffles with world-class caviar.
At The French Pantry we run our own carefully sourced caviar program alongside our French pantry staples, including our Osetra Caviar, available in Reserve, Royal and Imperial grades. Caviar and truffle are natural companions on a celebration table, sometimes joined by a shimmer of edible gold, which is why they so often appear together in the fine-food world.
Where to buy Plantin in the US?
Plantin products are available in the United States through specialty gourmet retailers. If you are shopping online, The French Pantry (thefrenchpantryca.com) carries Plantin truffle oils, truffle salt, and truffle honey made in France, shipped across the US. Start with the Black Truffle Guérande Salt if you are new to truffle, then explore the oils for finishing dishes at home.
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Frequently asked questions
When was Plantin founded and where is it based?
Plantin was founded in 1930 by Marcel Plantin in Provence, France. The house is based in Puyméras, in the Vaucluse department, one of France's great truffle-producing regions.
What is Plantin best known for?
Plantin is best known as the world's leading truffle house, specializing in the black truffle (Tuber melanosporum), the “black diamond.” It also produces dried wild mushrooms and a range of truffle oils, salts, pastes, and carpaccio.
What is the difference between black and summer truffles?
The winter black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) is the most prized, with a deep, intense aroma. The summer truffle (Tuber aestivum) is milder and more affordable, harvested in warmer months and often used in condiments like truffle salt and carpaccio.
How do you use truffle oil and truffle salt?
Use both as finishing touches, added after cooking. Drizzle truffle oil over pasta, eggs, or potatoes, and sprinkle truffle salt over fries, popcorn, or risotto just before serving so the aromas stay bright.
Is Plantin caviar the same company?
Caviar is offered through Plantin Kaviari, a partnership between Plantin (truffles) and the Paris caviar house Kaviari, formed in New York in 2015. Plantin's own historic specialties remain truffles and wild mushrooms.
Where can I buy Plantin truffle products in the US?
Plantin products are available in the US through specialty retailers. Online, The French Pantry carries Plantin truffle oils, salt, and honey made in France, with shipping across the US.