Milk, Expertise, and Performance: The DNA of the Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil Plant
In operation since 1954, the Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil plant (QC) stands out for unique characteristics that strengthen its strategic contributions within the Cooperative’s network.
Covering nearly 17,000 square feet and with a team of 185 employees, the plant operates 24/7 and processes close to 350 million litres of milk annually. Each day, it receives the equivalent of 35 tanker trucks and ships around 80 trucks of liquid dairy ingredients (e.g., ultrafiltered milk, cream, permeate) per week, highlighting the scale and efficiency of its operations.
Its annual production capacity reaches 40 million kg of cream mix* and 40 million kg of cheese, making it one of the largest cheddar processing sites in the country. In 2024, its one- to two-year aged cheddar earned international recognition by winning a gold medal at the World Championship Cheese Contest. To date, the Cooperative has won five medals for cheddar cheeses produced at the Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil plant.
World Championship Cheese Contest Organized by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and held every two years since 1957, the World Championship Cheese Contest is recognized as the most prestigious competition in the world for cheese, butter and yogurt. Products entered in the contest are evaluated by a panel of experts from around the globe. At the end of the judging process, the top three products in each category receive a gold, silver, or bronze medal, respectively. Several Agropur products, made both in Canada and the United States, have stood out in recent years. For Agropur, these awards provide a great opportunity to showcase our expertise on the international stage, while highlighting the quality of our products, the attributes on which they are judged, and our commitment to the highest industry standards.
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*The cream mix, made primarily from milk and cream, is an essential base in the production of products like cream cheese. It is formulated to deliver a smooth texture and ideal consistency for processing.
In Canada, the plant plays a key role as the exclusive supplier of cream mix for a major player in the food industry. Among all Agropur facilities, it also has the largest whole milk storage capacity within the network, allowing it to support the supply needs of other Cooperative plants.
"Thanks to the commitment and expertise of our employees, we are able to meet our clients’ high expectations while maintaining the quality and performance standards that have built our plant’s reputation. "
– Nathalie Boisvert, Plant Director, Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil
At the grocery store, look for the four-digit code on your product’s packaging (see examples below). If the code is 1649, it means the product was manufactured or packaged at the Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil plant.*
- Cheddar cheese
- Cream mix
*Produits préparés à l'usine de Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil – code 1649
A Commitment to Cooperative SuccessionLast April, the Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil plant had the pleasure of welcoming participants from the Young Cooperative Leaders Program, offering them an immersive and inspiring experience. This visit allowed young participants to discover the inner workings of our operations and witness the stages of milk processing. Curious to see what the inside of the Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil plant looks like? Watch this guided tour presented by the plant director, offering a detailed overview of the facilities and operations. Please note that this video is taken from a webinar recorded in 2022, and some material may no longer be up to date. |
Recap of the Next Generation Network Farm Tours
To kick off its activities, the Agropur Next Generation Network organized two farm tours, which fostered enriching exchanges and knowledge sharing among participants, hosts and Cooperative representatives.
