JULY 2013
H
business elite canada
33
By Perry King
In 1992, L’Ancêtre Cheese Factory in
Bécancour, Quebec had its humble be-
ginnings with 10 dairy farmers who
were passionate about working the land
and respecting the environment. Since
then L’Ancêtre has become the biggest
organic cheese factory in Canada, win-
ning numerous awards.
The organic dairy factory, specializ-
ing in organic only, pasteurized and
non-pasteurized cheeses — made from
100% Canadian milk — and butters, be-
lieve that traditional farming practices
would offer the best quality milk, hence
a wholesome, traditional flavour for
their products.
But, technology is not something
L’Ancêtre has left behind. As their pop-
ularity grew in Quebec, they have ex-
panded their facilities to catch up with
demand.
“First, we didn’t have our own plant, so
in 1996 we built our own plant,” said
their head of customer service and mar-
keting Sophie Labarre. “And we’ve had
new products almost every year.”
With distribution to major grocery
chains — Metro, IGA, and Loblaws,
among others — and specialized natural
food stores alike, the company is mak-
ing a name for itself. The factory went
from a solely Québec client base to
breaking ground in the prairies and Brit-
ish Columbia in 1996, Atlantic Canada
and Ontario in 1999.
“The difference between us [and our
competitors] is the quality of the cheese
and the taste of the cheese and butters,”
said L’Ancêtre general manager Rock
Bisson, who began at the company in
May 2012. “People [keep] coming back
to buy our product because of the qual-
ity and the taste.”
The factory distributes a large array of
cheeses, mostly cheddar cheese. They
manufacture organic unpasteurized milk
cheddar that is available at different de-
grees of maturation – from mild to five-
year aged cheddars. Also, they produce
Parmesan and Swiss Emmental cheeses,
also unpasteurized.
Their marbled mild Cheddar, Frugal,
mozzarella 15%mf and 20%mf and goat
