By the end of the 1990s, the old Rougemont cannery was a leader in its market. Its Oasis and Fruité lines occupied shelf space in grocery stores and convenience stores all over Quebec. The logical next step was to conquer Canada from coast to coast!

Leveraging their keen business acumen, the members of the Lassonde management team assessed the opportunities and devised a strategic plan. The goal was to acquire well-established juice manufacturers whose plants were mainly located in apple-producing regions.

In 1991, Lassonde bought Cobi Foods Inc. This first subsidiary was christened Great Valley Juices. Its Port Williams plant in Nova Scotia served the Maritime Provinces with its Graves and Allen’s brands.

Two years later, Lassonde bought the Orange Maison company, ensuring the Company’s dominance of the Quebec market through its solid distribution network among small retailers.

Lassonde focused its efforts on the Ontario market. Between 1996 and 2004 it acquired three companies: Mar-Brite Foods, Golden Town Apple Products in the fertile Georgian Bay area, and Alfresh Beverages Canada Corp., which was the result of a merger of Sunlike Juice Ltd. and Fairlee Fruit Juice Ltd. Operating under the name Lassonde Beverages Canada, the subsidiary produced and marketed a number of brands: Everfresh, Sunlike, Fairlee, Tropical Grove and Rich n’ Ready.

Lassonde completed its Canadian conquest with the inauguration of Lassonde Western Canada in 2007. Founded in Calgary, the subsidiary in the western part of the country grew out of the purchase of the juice division of McCain Foods (Canada).

All in all, it was a successful gamble. It took Lassonde a little over 15 years to become number one in Canada. And the Company has every intention of retaining that place of honour!

Next column: A royal visit…