L’Ancêtre once again stands out from the crowd, winning the CTAQ’s Food Innovation Award 2024 for the first “grass-fed” certified organic Canadian cheddar!
Bécancour, November 22, 2024 – L’Ancêtre is proud to announce that yesterday it won the prestigious CTAQ Food Innovation Award 2024 in the New or Improved Products category, sub-category Dairy Products, for its newly certified “grass-fed” organic cheddar – a first in Canada for the deployment of this logo.
This logo guarantees that at least 75% of the cows’ feed comes from grass. Combined with organic certification, it assures consumers of the highest standards in terms of farming practices and animal welfare. Agriculture that regenerates the soil, contributes to the development of biodiversity and helps mitigate climate change.
L’Ancêtre launched its first product bearing the label last September, the 325g Mild Unpasteurized Cheddar. Medium cheddar will be officially launched in the coming week, followed by old cheddar in February and extra old cheddar in September 2025 (following their aging cycle).
L’Ancêtre would like to highlight the collaboration of the five organic farms that have obtained grass-fed certification: Ferme Liclerc, Ferme Gonzales, Ferme Saumonière, Ferme Pocatoise and Ferme Marianne Landry, who share our values and surpass the requirements of organic certification. These producers feed their cows a maximum of grass, so that they produce milk even richer in essential fats, enabling them to produce a distinctive, high-quality cheese.
She also thanks her invaluable collaborators, including Les Producteurs de lait du Québec, Dairy Farmers of Canada for developing the certification, and Ecocert, the independent, accredited certifier who runs the rigorous organic audit system for the “Grass-fed” certification.
According to Pascal Désilets, President and CEO: “This achievement is in line with our mission to offer Canadians quality dairy production that contributes to their health, while respecting nature and animal welfare, and promoting sustainable and responsible agriculture that reduces the effects of climate change”.
About Fromagerie L’Ancêtre
Fromagerie L’Ancêtre manufactures and markets authentic, uncompromising dairy products. Organic dairy production practices have been at the heart of the company since it was founded in 1992 by certified organic dairy farmers. Farming without pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizers is a standard, as are cows that benefit from enhanced animal welfare by going out to pasture as soon as the weather permits, and enjoy top-quality feed, consisting mainly of organic forage from rich, healthy soils.
About the CTAQ Prix Innovation en alimentation :
For more information on L’Ancêtre products: www.fromagerieancetre.com
To find out more about our grass-fed cheddars: https://fromagerieancetre.com/en/grassfed/