Pascal Désilets: "L'Ancêtre, organic cheeses with an authentic taste".
A pioneer in its sector Fromagerie L'Ancêtre celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2022. This Quebec-based family business is renowned for its values and the quality of its products. Pascal Désilets, President and CEO, talks to La Boite à Grains to find out more about the strength and uniqueness of L'Ancêtre. Or when respect for tradition allows us to project ourselves confidently into the future.
Interview with Pascal Désilets from L'Ancêtre
What sets L'Ancêtre apart?
Pascal Désilets : What makes L'Ancêtre so special is that the company was founded by 9 dairy farming families, who converted their farms to organic management. All of this out of conviction, a little over 30 years ago now.
Back then, no one wanted to process organic milk. And so, in 1992, the L'Ancêtre cheese dairy was born, the start of a new adventure.
Where did you get the idea to go organic?
Pascal Désilets : The founders felt that the intensive farming system was unsustainable. In addition, the use of pesticides had health consequences for both humans and animals. Producers began to question and inform themselves, and to ask themselves what they could change. Organic farming soon emerged as a solution and the way forward.
It took some time to adapt, a few years to obtain organic certification, but it was this desire to rediscover a taste for tradition that gave L'Ancêtre its name. Making dairy products the way they used to be made, before the arrival of the agrochemical industry.
What's also beautiful is that thirty years later, the same 9 families are still the owners. L'Ancêtre has remained a family business.
What three words best define L'Ancêtre?
Pascal Désilets : Authentic, passionate and enduring.
What impact has the pandemic had on L'Ancêtre?
Pascal Désilets : There have certainly been operational challenges, and no one has escaped them. Demand has increased in our sector, and any growth in business comes with its own challenges.
L'Ancêtre in a nutshell
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Founded in 1992 by 9 dairy farming families
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75 employees
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A pioneer of organic farming in Quebec and Canada
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A complete range of organic cheeses and butters
If we have to talk about a flagship product, organic cheddar comes to mind...
Pascal Désilets: Cheddar is a very popular cheese in Canada, and right from the start, it was a natural choice to offer organic cheddar. our organic version. In fact, to celebrate our thirtieth anniversary, it was only natural to give a nod to cheddar cheese, so it has recently become possible to find an organic cheddar cheese in store. minimum 5-year aged cheddar.
Don't forget our organic buttersalso very popular, and the Baluchona fine cheese that joined our product range a few years ago.
New products to come?
Pascal Désilets : An organic raclette will be arriving in the fall, along with a Baluchon fondue and organic wine. We're determined to keep innovating and offer a full range of organic cheeses and butters. It's extremely motivating for our whole team.
By expanding our range, our aim is to convert more and more people to organic.
L'Ancêtre reaches the symbolic milestone of 30 years. An important milestone?
Pascal Désilets : Our anniversary falls in June, but we'll be marking the occasion throughout the year. We're proud to reach this milestone, to continue to grow, and to pursue our mission, participating in a transition to a more environmentally-friendly way of life.
We're launching a few new products, as well as promotions and contests, to share our pleasure with our customers and the community.
Many thanks Pascal Désilets for answering our questions!
To find out more about our product range L'ancêtre product line, click here.
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