A True Family Adventure
 

The First Generation
	Edmond Bergeron began making cheddar in 1940 on Rang 8 Labarre near the village of Saint-Bruno in Quebec’s Lac-Saint-Jean region.
The Second Generation
	In 1954, Raymond and his brother Égide bought a cheese factory on Rang des Plaines in Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly. They renamed it Meuldor and produced cheddar.
The Third Generation
	Raymond and his wife Colombe Ouellet passed on their passion and know-how to their children Sylvain, Chantal, Mario, and Roger, who built the current cheese factory and have been operating it since August 16, 1989.

Canada’s Gouda Masters

Fromagerie Bergeron is quite the family adventure.

In 1619, Champlain introduced the first herd of dairy cows to Quebec, and the ancient art of cheesemaking has been practiced on our farms ever since. The first commercial cheese factory was created in 1864. Soon, the number of cheese factories increased, but they remained local operations dependant on seasonal milk production. This was the situation when Edmond Bergeron went into business in 1940, receiving milk supplies from local farmers.

After World War II, techniques evolved and cheese was produced year round. Cheese factories grew larger. Raymond and Égide Bergeron created Meuldor, which prospered until 1978. However, new regulations, centralization in the industry, and the creation of large coops increasingly isolated small, independent producers. Meuldor was bought by Agrinove, now Lactel.

Following the sale of Meuldor, Raymond went into another line of business, but was sought out for his experience in cheesemaking. He taught his craft to adults using miniature equipment, which he also employed at home. Having grown up at the cheese factory, his children dreamed of opening their own business. Unable to obtain a manufacturing permit for cheddar, they had to find a new niche. That’s when they decided to become “Canada’s Masters of Gouda.” After their sister headed west, brothers Sylvain, Mario, and Roger continued to grow the company. The popularity of Bergeron cheeses in Quebec prompted supermarkets to add them to their stores across Canada. The master cheesemakers stepped up efforts to meet the growing nationwide craze for Bergeron cheese!

In 1954, Edmond was processing 1,500,000 liters of milk per year. By 1978, Raymond had increased this figure to 5,000,000 liters. And by 2006, Fromagerie Bergeron was processing 20,000,000 liters of milk per year. The facilities operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a team of some 100 employees.

Passionate and innovative, Bergeron master cheesemakers continue to develop unique cheeses that are gaining both popular favor and the recognition of connoisseurs.