It’s official: our organic extra old cheddar in the 325 g format now carries the Dairy Farmers of Canada “grass-fed” green cow logo, joining our mild, medium, and old cheddars that are already certified.
Our “grass-fed” certified cheddars have already stood out twice since entering the market, winning at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards as well as the 2024 CTAQ Food Innovation Award. Fromagerie L’Ancêtre is the first Canadian dairy processor to offer cheeses with both organic and grass-fed national certifications.
The extra old organic cheddar also recently took top honours in the “cheddar” category at the prestigious Sélection Caseus competition – marking a third consecutive win for L’Ancêtre in this category of the competition celebrating Quebec cheeses.
Because our organic extra old cheddar is aged for 18 months, it was still completing its maturation and therefore could not carry the certification until now. It is finally ready to leave our fromagerie and make its way onto the shelves of retailers carrying it across Canada.
MORE THAN A LOGO: A SUSTAINABLE COMMITMENT
We work with a select group of local producers who feed their cows primarily with pasture grass, in order to:
support animal welfare
produce milk naturally richer in essential fatty acids
reduce the carbon footprint of dairy farms
Beyond the rigorous requirements of organic production, the “grass-fed” standard strengthens our farming practices by further prioritizing the cows’ natural diet. At least 75% of their feed must come from grass and forage, compared to the minimum 60% required under organic regulations.
This achievement reflects our mission to offer Canadians high-quality dairy produced in a way that supports their well-being while respecting nature and animal welfare. It also aligns with our commitment to promoting sustainable, responsible agriculture that helps reduce the impacts of climate change.
Our products are audited by qualified third-party bodies to ensure compliance with standards from: the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canada Organic, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Ecocert, and the FSSC 22000 program.
ABOUT FROMAGERIE L’ANCÊTRE
At Fromagerie L’Ancêtre, we craft and market dairy products that are authentic and uncompromising. Organic dairy production methods has been at the core of our business since our founding in 1992 by certified organic dairy farmers.
Growing without pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers is our standard, just as ensuring animal welfare is, with cows heading out to pasture as soon as the weather allows and enjoying a superior-quality diet made primarily of organic grass and forage from rich, healthy soils.
By choosing our organic cheeses made with milk from “grass-fed” cows, you directly support a more sustainable, respectful, and authentic food system.