Le Conseil des industriels laitiers du Québec

What Le Conseil des industriels laitiers du Québec does

Le Conseil des industriels laitiers du Québec (CILQ) is the trade association representing Quebec dairy processors, founded in 1963 and headquartered in Saint-Lambert, Quebec. It serves more than 100 member companies ranging from artisan fromageries and regional laiteries to multinational processors including Saputo, Lactalis Canada, Danone, Smucker Foods, Yoplait Liberté, and Groupe Bel. Membership is divided into regular members (dairy processors) and associate members (equipment, packaging, ingredient, hygiene, and financial-service suppliers such as Tetra Pak, Silgan, Barry Callebaut, Ecolab, and Desjardins), which together fund the association through annual dues.

CILQ's core activities center on regulatory advocacy, supply-management negotiation, and industry coordination. It is the recognized interlocutor for Quebec's dairy processing industry on federal and provincial policy, sits on the national CCGAL committee, negotiates the Convention de mise en marché du lait, and leads coalitions on selective-collection reform and dairy sustainability. It runs three annual events — the Annual Congress, the Tremplin laitier technical sessions, and the Lait'cole d'été summer event — alongside an Annual General Meeting, and publishes the monthly CILQ 360 newsletter, annual reports, and policy bulletins. Recent initiatives include the Route des fromages agritourism program (launched June 2025, covering 15 circuits and 70+ fromageries) and a multi-year project to secure a Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) for Quebec poutine cheese.

The organization is structured as a non-profit corporation under Quebec law, governed by a board drawn from member companies and led by a small permanent staff of approximately six people headed by President-CEO Charles Langlois. Revenue is derived from membership dues and event registration fees; no commercial products are sold. In February 2026, CILQ secured a long-sought CFIA regulatory change to the common names of dairy ingredients, underscoring the association's central role as the industry's collective voice.

Name

Le Conseil des industriels laitiers du Québec

Legal name

Conseil des Industriels laitiers du Québec inc.

Website

https://cilq.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Le Conseil des industriels laitiers du Québec (CILQ) is a Quebec non-profit trade association, founded in 1963, that represents over 100 dairy processors and industry suppliers. It advocates on supply management and trade policy, negotiates milk-marketing rules, and runs events, publications, and the Route des fromages agritourism initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Lambert

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: CILQ is funded by membership dues from regular members (dairy processors) and associate members (suppliers and service providers to the dairy industry).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CILQ is a non-profit trade association that represents Quebec dairy processors, fromageries, and laiteries. It delivers industry advocacy on supply management and trade policy, negotiates the Convention de mise en marché du lait on the CCGAL, and runs recurring member services including an annual Congress, Tremplin laitier technical conferences, Lait'cole d'été summer events, annual general meetings, and publications such as the CILQ 360 newsletter, annual reports and bulletins. It also coordinates collective industry initiatives such as the Route des fromages tourism program and the IGP Fromage à poutine project.

Product overview

Le Conseil des industriels laitiers du Québec (CILQ) is an industry association for Quebec dairy processors, not a product company. Its offerings consist of industry services including: events (annual Congress, Tremplin laitier technical sessions, Lait'cole summer events, AGAs), publications (CILQ 360 newsletter, annual reports, bulletins), industry initiatives (Route des fromages tourism project, IGP Fromage à poutine project), advocacy (mémoires and government consultations), awards (Prix Donat-Roy), and competitions (Concours Sélection Caseus). The association does not manufacture or sell dairy products itself.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Route des fromages: A culinary tourism project featuring 15 circuits showcasing over 70 Quebec cheese makers

Products and services

• Congrès annuel du CILQ Annual three-day congress bringing together Quebec dairy processors for conferences, networking, and professional development, offered under tiered member and non-member pricing.
• Tremplin laitier Technical afternoon conference program on cheese-making topics, organized by CILQ with cheese-making experts, available as part of the congress or as an à la carte add-on.
• Lait'cole d'été Summer event combining industry updates and professional development for dairy industry stakeholders.
• Assemblées générales annuelles (AGA) Annual general meetings that bring together CILQ association members for governance, elections, and industry discussions.
• CILQ 360 (infolettre mensuelle) Monthly newsletter providing comprehensive updates on Quebec dairy processing industry developments, events, regulatory changes, and industry initiatives.
• Rapports annuels Annual activity reports documenting the association's main projects and initiatives throughout the year, available for download.
• Bulletins Electronic bulletins covering specific industry topics such as trade negotiations and agricultural policy consultations, distributed to CILQ members.
• Mémoires et consultations Policy briefs and government consultation submissions advocating for Quebec dairy processor interests on supply management, trade agreements, and environmental regulations.
• Route des fromages Gourmet tourism initiative covering 15 circuits and over 70 Quebec fromageries, designed for travelers and agritourism enthusiasts with mobile-optimized itinerary planning.
• IGP Fromage à poutine du Québec Protected Geographical Indication project that aims to secure official IGP designation for Quebec poutine cheese through CARTV and MAPAQ, currently in the specifications development phase.
• Fromage fermier Support and advocacy service that helps artisanal producers obtain and maintain the valorizing "fromage fermier" designation for farmhouse cheese in Quebec.

Named customers16 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACIA (Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments)coreOthers · 11 February 2026On February 11, 2026, ACIA announced changes to common ingredient names, replacing 'substances laitières' with 'ingrédients du lait' and 'substances laitières modifiées' with 'ingrédients dérivés du lait'. CILQ and ATLC had advocated for this change for 20 years.
• MAPAQ (Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAPAQ provides financial support for CILQ initiatives including the IGP for Quebec poutine cheese project, cheese-making research, and industry development programs.
• CARTV (Conseil des appellations réservées et des termes valorisants)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARTV provides regulatory oversight and expertise for the IGP (indication géographique protégée) designation for Quebec poutine cheese, ensuring compliance with Quebec's appellation laws.
• NovalaitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNovalait is a partner in dairy sector research and development. Listed as a key partner on CILQ's website, collaborating on industry innovation and sustainability projects.
• Centre d'expertise fromagère du Québec (CEFQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEFQ is a key partner providing cheese-making expertise. Collaborates with CILQ on events such as the Tremplin laitier and cheese-making education.
• Sélection CaseusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCheese competition and recognition program. Listed as a partner on CILQ's website, promoting Quebec cheese quality.
• SIAL CanadaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSIAL Canada is an international food trade show. CILQ partners with SIAL for industry visibility and market development.
• Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerÉEQ leads Quebec's selective collection system. CILQ is part of a coalition with ÉEQ, CTAQ, CCCD, UPA, APMQ, and AQDFL to advocate for regulatory changes to the selective collection framework benefiting dairy processors.
• CTAQ (Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the coalition with CILQ and ÉEQ advocating for selective collection reform to reduce costs for food processing companies.
• Association des transformateurs laitiers du Canada (ATLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATLC co-created the Forum canadien sur la durabilité laitière with Dairy Farmers of Canada. CILQ advocated for this forum and participates in it to advance environmental sustainability in the Canadian dairy sector.
• Producteurs laitiers du Canada (PLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPLC co-founded the Forum canadien sur la durabilité laitière with ATLC. Working with Quebec's dairy industry on carbon neutrality commitments for 2050.
• CCGAL (Comité canadien de gestion des approvisionnements de lait)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational committee managing Canadian milk supply. CILQ represents Quebec dairy processors on this committee, addressing surplus, pricing, and factory policies.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CARTV (Conseil des appellations réservées et des termes valorisants): Quebec body overseeing reserved appellations and valorizing terms. Provides regulatory oversight for CILQ's IGP project for Quebec poutine cheese — a directly comparable regulator/industry-body relationship in the same Quebec food ecosystem.
• Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec (CTAQ): Quebec food processing trade association representing a broader membership base than CILQ. Directly comparable as a Quebec-based industry association and coalition partner on selective collection reform.
• Association des transformateurs laitiers du Canada (ATLC): National trade association for Canadian dairy processors, directly comparable to CILQ at the federal level. CILQ and ATLC co-created the Forum canadien sur la durabilité laitière and jointly advocated for the 2026 CFIA ingredient naming change.
• Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) / Producteurs laitiers du Canada: National lobby organization for Canadian dairy producers and the counterpart to CILQ on the producer side. Works closely with CILQ on the CCGAL and jointly co-founded the Canadian Dairy Sustainability Forum.
• Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ): Quebec industry stewardship organization managing selective collection. Forms a coalition with CILQ and CTAQ on regulatory reform, operating as a comparable industry-funded non-profit with regulatory mandate.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC): Federal Crown corporation administering Canadian dairy supply management. CILQ interacts with the CDC on supply management reform and pricing, making it the most material institutional counterpart at the federal level.
• Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA): Quebec's largest general agricultural union, representing producers across all sectors. Coalition partner with CILQ on selective collection reform and a broader incumbent in Quebec agricultural advocacy.

Emerging players

• Sélection Caseus: Quebec cheese recognition competition. Listed as a CILQ partner organization promoting Quebec cheese quality, functioning as an adjacent ecosystem player in the same artisan cheese segment.
• Novalait: Quebec dairy sector research and development organization. Listed as a key CILQ partner and collaborates on industry innovation and sustainability projects, operating in an adjacent niche within the Quebec dairy ecosystem.
• Centre d'expertise fromagère du Québec (CEFQ): Quebec cheese-making expertise center that partners with CILQ on the Tremplin laitier technical conferences. Functionally adjacent in serving Quebec dairy processors, with a narrower technical/educational focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/routedesfromages
• Instagraminstagram.com/route_des_fromages
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cilq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Le Conseil des industriels laitiers du Québec