A brief history of cheese in Quebec

In 1619, Samuel de Champlain introduced the first sizeable herd of dairy cows, but cheese production was limited to domestic use. It was not until 1864 that the first commercial cheese-making enterprise, which produced cheddar, was established in Quebec.

Starting in the 1880s, the number of cheese-making plants increased. Generally small in size, they received their milk supplies from farmers and served very local markets. Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly’s first cheese-making outfit dates back to this period. It was located on the road known as Rang de la Plaine.

By the end of World War II, Quebec produced a full third of Canadian cheese. Production remained seasonal until the 1950s, when it began to be carried out year-round.

1940 – The first generation of Bergerons
Edmond Bergeron, a capable businessman from the Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, bought the cheese-making plant on Rang 8 Labarre in Saint-Bruno. He started making cheddar along with his children, one of whom was Raymond.

1948 – The second generation
Raymond Bergeron studied cheese-making at Quebec’s provincial dairy school, located in Saint-Hyacinthe.

1954
Raymond and his brother Égide bought the Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly cheese-making outfit. Renaming it Meuldor, they began producing cheddar on the premises. Around the same time, a regulation on refrigeration and pasteurization was instituted, despite opposition from artisanal cheese makers.

1960
Meuldor grew: the business processed 22,000 litres of milk a week in summertime and 11,000 during winter. First transported in small containers, the milk was eventually distributed in drums and tank trucks. The plant diversified, producing butter, milk powder and casein.

1968
The Quebec government encouraged the creation of large enterprises as a means of stimulating the dairy industry. Centralization and cooperatives were watchwords of the day. Small independent firms like Raymond Bergeron’s were fewer and farther in between.

1978
Even though the plant with its 25 employees used five million litres of milk for its production annually, strong market pressures led Raymond to sell Meuldor to the Agrinove co-operative. Located in the Beauce region of Quebec, this latter company has since become Lactel.

1980
Raymond stopped working in the cheese-making industry but was sought out because of his experience in the field. He taught his craft in an adult learning centre and made cheddar at home. Raymond and his wife, Colombe Ouellet, passed on their passion for the craft to their children Sylvain, Chantal, Mario and Roger.

1982
The children’s interest in cheese-making increased as they got older. Mario studied the craft in Saint-Hyacinthe. In the same period, Quebec’s milk producers decided to manage milk supplies through a provincial dairy marketing board called the Fédération des Producteurs de Lait du Québec (FPLQ).

1985
Mario and Sylvain’s application for a permit to make cheddar was turned down. In order to open a cheese-making factory, they needed to specialize in another sector. This situation led to their becoming Canada’s Gouda Masters.

1988
Once they had received a permit, the Bergerons built their factory, which to this day is located in the town of Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly.

1989 – The third generation
Fromagerie Bergeron began operating on August 16, 1989 with Bergeron children Sylvain, Chantal, Mario and Roger, along with two employees, at the helm. Raymond Bergeron, their father, continues to play a consulting role.

1999
The firm continued to expand, so work was undertaken to enlarge the factory. Renovations were carried out and new equipment was installed.

2000
Fromagerie Bergeron processed 10 million litres of milk a year, up from the 1978 figure of five million under Raymond’s leadership, not to mention the 1.5 million that were processed under Edmond in 1954.

The family business was booming! Operating seven days a week and 24 hours a day, thanks to its more than 75 employees, Fromagerie Bergeron then aimed to expand its market to include every province in Canada. It laid plans to offer its special cheeses in different formats as well as to produce aged Gouda and smoked Gouda. In the meantime, new projects for plant expansion were on the drawing boards.

2002
Sizeable investments enabled Fromagerie Bergeron to double its production capacity. From this time on, the firm has been able to process 90,000 litres of milk per day.

2003
The family has grown to include 97 employees. Some new cheeses have also been introduced: Patte Blanche, P'tit Bonheur and Lotbinière.

2004
Expansion is still ongoing! The company has launched a new smoked cheese and is developing its markets throughout the other Canadian provinces.