St-Albert Co-op

What St-Albert Co-op does

St-Albert Co-op (operating as Fromagerie St-Albert Cheese / Fromagerie St-Albert) is a Franco-Ontarian dairy cooperative founded in 1894 by dairy farmers in St-Albert, Ontario. The cooperative is owned by approximately 50 member dairy farmers, all located within roughly 50 km of the factory, supplying 100% Canadian milk processed at a rate of approximately 40 million litres per year (120,000-140,000 litres daily, delivered by 5-7 milk trucks). The modern production facility was rebuilt after a February 2013 fire using a closed-loop, zero-waste design with water-reuse technology.

The core product portfolio centers on fresh cheese curds (made daily, known for their characteristic 'squeak') and a comprehensive line of cheddar cheeses aged from 1 month (mild) through 14-20 months (extra-old), with a premium 'Distinction' sub-brand aged 2 to 10 years. Following the 2009 acquisition of Fromagerie Mirabel and the 2025 partnership with Fromagerie Montebello, the cooperative also retails and produces over 100 varieties of fine cheeses including artisanal Quebec specialties (Tête à Papineau, Rébellion 1837 blue cheese, Adoray, Manchebello). Food safety credentials include SQF, HACCP/FEP, Halal (HMCA), and CFIA registration under the Canadian Milk Act.

Revenue is generated through three channels: (1) wholesale distribution to national and regional Canadian grocery chains (Loblaws, Metro, Sobeys, and many others, reaching thousands of points of sale) and an industrial B2B network with a $75 minimum order and next-day delivery for orders placed before 2 PM; (2) direct retail at on-site factory boutiques and restaurants in St-Albert ON, Saint-Jérôme QC, and Montebello QC; and (3) value-added services including factory tours, group visits, gift baskets, and an on-site restaurant serving poutines, burgers, pizza, and ice cream. Industrial pricing is quote-based via phone, email, or fax; consumer retail pricing varies by retailer. Pricing for on-site restaurant items is publicly disclosed (e.g., classic poutine $9.49, ice cream from $4.99).

Name

St-Albert Co-op

Legal name

St-Albert Cheese Co-op

Website

https://fromagestalbert.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St-Albert Co-op is a 130-year-old Franco-Ontarian dairy cooperative of approximately 50 farmer-members that manufactures artisanal cheese curds and aged cheddars from local Canadian milk, distributing through thousands of Canadian grocery retailers, on-site boutiques and restaurants in Ontario and Quebec, and a B2B industrial sales network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Cheese Manufacturing

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue) (AFAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh/Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Unripened & Soft) (AFAHABAA), Cheese (Natural & Processed) (CRADACAC)

Keywords

• Artisanal cheese manufacturing
• Dairy cooperative
• Aged cheddar production
• Fresh cheese curds
• Industrial dairy wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Retail Sales: The company operates on-site factory stores (boutiques) and restaurants at its St-Albert, Mirabel, and Montebello locations, selling cheese directly to consumers along with local products, charcuteries, ice cream, and prepared foods. Products are also available at thousands of grocery stores across Canada.
2. Wholesale and Distribution to Retailers: St-Albert cheese is sold through major grocery chains and independent retailers across Canada, including Loblaws, Metro, Sobeys, Foodland, Adonis, Farm Boy, and others in Ontario and Quebec. Products reach thousands of points of sale nationwide.
3. Industrial Cheese Sales: B2B sales of cheese to food manufacturers, restaurants, and other businesses. Orders can be placed by phone, email, or fax. Products include cheese curds and cheddars for food service and processing. A distribution network handles logistics across Canada.
4. Restaurant and Food Service: The on-site restaurant at the St-Albert factory serves poutines, burgers, pizza, salads, and ice cream, providing an additional revenue stream while serving as a customer acquisition and brand experience touchpoint.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

St-Albert Co-op is a dairy cooperative founded in 1894 that manufactures and sells cheese products from 100% Canadian milk sourced from local dairy farmers within 50 km of the factory. The company produces fresh cheese curds daily and aged cheddar cheeses ranging from 1 month to 10 years, and distributes them via direct retail at factory stores, wholesale to grocery chains, B2B industrial sales, and on-site restaurants.

Product overview

Fromagerie St-Albert is a cooperative dairy company producing cheese products from 100% Canadian milk. The product portfolio centers on fresh cheese curds (made daily, sold as fresh or poutine varieties) and a comprehensive line of cheddar cheeses ranging from mild (1-3 months) through extra-old (14-20 months). The premium Distinction sub-brand offers ultra-aged cheddars from 2 to 10 years. Beyond retail products, the company operates B2B industrial cheese sales for food manufacturers, runs on-site restaurant and boutique services, provides factory tours, and offers gift basket services. Following a 2009 acquisition, Fromagerie Mirabel serves as a second retail/production location in Quebec, and a 2025 partnership brought Fromagerie Montebello's artisanal cheese line under the St-Albert family.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Cheese Curds (Curds fraîches) Fresh cheese curds made daily using traditional methods, known for their characteristic 'squeak' and sold at various sizes for direct consumption or poutine preparation. Sold to individual consumers, grocery retailers, and food service operators.
• Poutine Curds

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 40 million litres of milk processed per year, delivering cheese to thousands of points of sale across Canada
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fromagerie MontebellocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025In 2025, St-Albert Cheese Factory became a partner of Fromagerie Montebello. Since 2025, Fromagerie Montebello is part of the St-Albert family. Located in Montebello, Quebec (Petite-Nation), it produces artisanal cheeses including Tête à Papineau, Rébellion 1837 blue cheese, Adoray, and Manchebello. The partnership expands St-Albert's presence in Quebec and adds artisanal cheese expertise.
• Fromagerie MirabelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2009St-Albert acquired Fromagerie Mirabel in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, in 2009. Mirabel operates as a subsidiary retail boutique selling St-Albert products and approximately 100+ varieties of fine cheeses from Canadian and international producers. It also offers a sandwich bar, ice cream (Coaticook), and local products. It serves as both a retail location and a key distribution point for St-Albert products in Quebec.
• Découverte ZoneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt-Albert has partnered with Découverte Zone, a specialist in student visits and event organization, to offer turnkey school tour packages including guided tours with cheesemakers, pizza-making activities, and other educational experiences.
• La Nation MunicipalityminorOthersSt-Albert actively contributes to community events in La Nation municipality (part of Prescott-Russell), supporting local initiatives, community gatherings, and regional development.
• Green EconomyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt-Albert Cheese Co-op is featured on the Green Economy platform, indicating a partnership or recognition related to environmental sustainability and sustainable business practices.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Agropur Cooperative: Canada's largest dairy cooperative, processing billions of litres of milk annually across multiple dairy categories. Directly comparable as a Canadian farmer-owned dairy cooperative, though significantly larger and more diversified than St-Albert.
• Lactalis Canada: Canadian arm of global dairy giant Lactalis, operating brands such as Parmalat, Beatrice, and Black Diamond. Competes with St-Albert across retail cheese, dairy ingredients, and foodservice channels in Canada.
• Saputo Inc. Canada's largest dairy processor with national and global brands across cheese, fluid milk, and ingredients. Competes with St-Albert on grocery shelves and in B2B, though Saputo operates at much larger scale and across many dairy categories.

Direct peers

• Bothwell Cheese: Manitoba-based cheddar cheese manufacturer producing a range of aged cheddars and specialty cheeses for retail and foodservice. Directly comparable as a Canadian artisanal-to-scale cheddar specialist competing in similar grocery and industrial channels.
• Gay Lea Foods: Ontario dairy cooperative producing cheese, butter, and cultured dairy products. Comparable cooperative structure with farmer-members and a similar Ontario-based branded dairy portfolio supplying Canadian grocery channels.
• Armstrong Cheese: Canadian cheddar cheese brand (originally BC, now under Saputo) producing aged cheddars for national grocery distribution. Direct peer in the aged cheddar category where St-Albert competes for shelf space and consumer mindshare.
• Tre Stelle: Canadian producer of Italian-style and specialty hard cheeses, including aged varieties. Comparable artisanal-to-premium cheese manufacturer active in Canadian grocery retail with a similar product positioning strategy.

Others

• Dairy Farmers of Canada (Industry Body): National industry association representing Canadian dairy farmers and promoting Canadian dairy. Relevant ecosystem participant because St-Albert's milk sourcing and labeling operate under the Canadian Milk Act regulated by this industry framework.

Regional players

• Fromagerie de l'Abbaye Saint-Benoît-du-Lac: Quebec monastic artisanal cheese producer with strong regional brand and visitor experience. Comparable as a Quebec artisanal cheese maker with direct-to-consumer retail and a heritage brand story, though it operates on a smaller scale and primarily in Quebec.

Emerging players

• Le Fromagier de la Suisse Normande: Quebec artisanal cheese maker producing specialty cheeses for retail and foodservice. Comparable as a Quebec-based artisanal cheese brand competing in similar specialty cheese categories and Quebec retail channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC63_5RKOU-etEKJ0xS5OCZA
• Facebookfacebook.com/FromagerieStAlbert
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fromagerie-coop%C3%A9rative-st-albert
• Instagraminstagram.com/fromageriestalbertcheese
• TikToktiktok.com/@stalbertcheese
• Xx.com/FromageStAlbert

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about St-Albert Co-op