In 1853, on the death of his father, Antoine, Émile-Justin Menier inherited a large and successful Parisian company that manufactured a range of medicinal powders.

His Menier Chocolate company purchased cocoa-growing estates in Nicaragua and sugar beet fields in France, erected a processing mill, and equipped itself in other ways for the production of chocolate on a large scale.

In 1864 he sold his interest in the drug-manufacturing business, and thenceforth confined himself to chocolate, building up an immense trade.

From 1876 until his death he had a seat in the French National Assembly, his general views being strongly Republican, while he consistently opposed protectionist trade policies.

Menier was the author of several works on fiscal and economic questions, notably L'impôt sur le capital (1872), La Réforme fiscale (1872), Economie rurale (1875), L'Avenir économique (1875–1878), Atlas de la production de la richesse (1878)[1] and, published in the English language by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York City in 1878, France And The United States: Their Present Commercial Relations Considered With Reference to a Treaty of Reciprocity [1] (downloadable) Émile-Justin Menier was made an Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1878.