Alberta a Centerpiece in Cheese Production
CANADA - Dairy producers, cheese lovers and the Lethbridge area are reaping the benefits of Agropur’s new plant in Diamond City. Agropur, a Quebec-based food company, partnered with the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA) to modify and modernise an existing facility, resulting in a larger, more efficient plant.
9 October 2012
2 minute read
Agropur is positioning the plant as the centre of its bulk
cheese operations for Western Canada. François Lacoste,
Vice-President of Manufacturing for Agropur’s operations
said: “Agropur has always been attracted to Alberta as a
place to do business. Our partnerships with ALMA helped us
aggressively grow our operations in Alberta.”
The new facility doubles Agropur’s production capacity in Alberta and the improved capacity is a huge
benefit to Alberta dairy producers. The new plant produces Agropur’s bulk cheese lines, including
Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Cheddars, Swiss, Havarti, Gouda and low-fat cheese. The introduction of
a large buyer to the Alberta economy also helps to improve the sustainability of the dairy industry, as
producers have another opportunity for their milk to be used in high-value food products like cheese.
With the facility located just north of Lethbridge, Agropur products satisfy the demands of consumers
looking for local products with local inputs. Local employment also received a boost as the new plant
resulted in higher paying jobs in the plant and temporary construction jobs in the rural community of
Diamond City.
Due to the success of this project and the steady supply of Alberta milk, Agropur is adding
another phase to the plant expansion. The company is currently considering further infrastructure
additions that will double the new facility’s production in the coming years. Agropur sees the expanded
Diamond City plant as the beginning of its larger investment in Alberta-based operations.
Gordon Cove, ALMA’s CEO, summed up the Agropur project: “We have a company that’s come into
Alberta with investment dollars to set up a plant. This plant employs Albertans, uses Alberta resources to
create its product and sells that product across Canada. This is good for dairy farmers, it’s good for the
Alberta economy and it’s good for the Alberta consumer who can buy made-in-Alberta cheese from the
grocery store. The Agropur expansion is great story for all of us.”
TheCattleSite News Desk
