The St-Albert Co-operative Cheese Manufacturing Association

La Fromagerie St-Albert

In the 1880s, the era of dairy production began. Cheese was still made by hand. In the 1890s, a group of visionary farmers banded together to lay the foundations for a cooperative system to process the milk produced on their farms.

On January 8, 1894, the Saint-Albert Co-operative Cheese Manufacturing Association was founded by 10 founding members: Génier, Cheffer, Clément, Forgues, Labelle, Ouimet, Pinsonneault, Quesnel, Richer and Trudeau. Their goal was to produce cheese in a building erected on lot 19 of the 10th concession in Cambridge Township. A famous cheddar was born.

One episode in the history of Fromagerie #743 de Saint-Albert seems inexplicable today. It was the sale of the dairy cooperative to Valmore et Bourbonnais for $4,300 on March 2, 1931, as evidenced by the official document signed by Arthur Clément, president, and Joseph P. Meilleur, secretary. Some wondered about the reasons for this transaction. It was during this sale that we discovered that Louis Génier, 19 years after his death, owned the cheese dairy. His priest son Alphonse, who was executor of his will, had to come and sign the official deed of transfer to the St-Albert Co-operative Cheese Manufacturing Association. However, eight years later, the then bosses and dairy farmers got together again, changed their minds and bought back their Valmore and Bourbonnais cheese dairy for $8,500. This included $5,000 for the property, building and land, and $3,000 for the machinery, tools and utensils used in cheese-making. The following contract attests to this happy initiative on May 1, 1939.

1948 saw the amalgamation of the surrounding cheese factories. In 1949, construction began on a new, larger building. In 1950, the new building of the cooperative dairy plan was inaugurated, completely modernized. However, the years that followed were among the most difficult in the cheese dairy’s history. In 1953, the dairy was looking for market outlets. The board of directors of the new Plan laitier coopératif Saint-Albert was chaired in turn by Aurel Cayer, Henri Bourgeois, Jacques Landry and Gérald Quesnel. During these years, no rebates were issued.

As soon as he arrived in St-Albert, Curé Arsène Hébert infiltrated everything like a gust of wind. Among other things, he never misses a minute of the cheese factory’s activities. Not only does he attend general and board meetings, but he also participates generously in so many decisions. Overflowing with energy, sometimes a keen observer, sometimes an enthusiastic instigator, sometimes provocative, but always a good listener, encouraging and optimistic. In the winter of 1957, he visited the village to receive feedback on the reorganization and expansion of the plan, and to recruit new members. Then, on October 31, 1957, he made a financial contribution of $600. At a special general meeting on March 28, 1957, with the cheese factory still facing bankruptcy, and despite the fact that the cement floor was being redone at a cost of around $900, and that it was proposed to buy a waxing machine in order to make a profit of 23¢ per wheel of cheese, Curé Hébert, in a burst of impetuous fervor, invited all members to lend their unconditional support.

During this difficult decade, two strong cooperators risk their lives in the cheese factory. All directors sign up to be financially responsible for the cooperative dairy plan. At one point, members weren’t paid for two months,” says one manager, “because the cheese wasn’t selling. Nevertheless, Joseph Philippe Adam and his manager agreed on an advance of around $7,000. As for Exavier Cayer, the bank debited his account for some $10,000! After years of worry and torment, the repayment finally arrives.

Victory! The worst was avoided; success would come, and the future looked brighter, since cheddar cheese was now in greater demand, especially since the cheese factory had access to the Ottawa market. In the same years, two men who would later play a crucial role in the St-Albert Co-operative Cheese Manufacturing Association, Raymond Lafrance of Mayerville and Alban Couture of St-Isidore, were hired on March 1, 1958. Raymond starts at $85 a week, Alban at $80. In addition, they receive 15% on the cheese premium.

In 1966, St-Albert cheddar became famous. In 1979, the cheese dairy becomes a member of the Federation of Agriculture. In 1984, St-Albert cheddar was judged 1st in Canada and 4th in the world. During the 1960s, sales rose from $530,300 to $1,271,336. In the 70s, the building was renovated. We look to the future with confidence.

The ’80s were full of events! The manager remained Raymond Lafrance until his retirement in 1988. In 1983, the name “Plan laitier coopératif” was dropped in favor of “Fromage St-Albert Cheese”. In 1994, the cheese dairy celebrates its 100th anniversary, and the first Festival de la Curd is held as part of the 100th anniversary celebrations. Held every year on the 3rd weekend in August, this summer event has become a not-to-be-missed fixture in Eastern Ontario, attracting tens of thousands of participants(www.festivaldelacurd.ca).

Fromagerie St-Albert opened a second store in Orléans in 2005, under the name Cheddar Et Cetera, and in 2009 acquired Fromagerie Mirabel in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec. Over the years, many of the cheeses produced at St-Albert have won awards at national and international competitions, including the Toronto Winter Fair, the Spencerville Fair, the British Empire Cheese Show and the Canadian Cheese Grand Prix.

On February 3, 2013, the cheese factory and store are destroyed by fire. In the days that followed, production was reorganized and quickly transferred to other plants in order to continue serving loyal customers. The whole community mobilizes. February 3, 2015 saw the official reopening of a new, modern building housing the processing plant, a snack bar and a store selling local products and all the cheeses produced at the dairy. For the past 30 years, Réjean Ouimet, succeeded by Éric Lafontaine, has managed the day-to-day business of Fromagerie St-Albert.

Roger Cayer, Souvenance de la fromagerie #743, 1994

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