70th annual general meeting
Longueuil, Wednesday, February 11, 2009 – Agropur posted good financial results in 2008, reaching sales of $2.8 billion and earnings before patronage dividends and taxes of $121.3 million.
According to Agropur CEO Pierre Claprood, "Agropur is in good financial health and has all the tools it needs to face current and future challenges. Our priority is to continue to develop the Cooperative while maintaining, and even improving, this enviable position."
Today's Agropur is the result of several mergers and acquisitions over the years. While maintaining its impressive financial results, the Cooperative pursued its expansion in 2008, both in Canada and abroad. The company was expanded by the addition of the joint venture La Lacteo in Argentina, Trega Foods in the United States, Laiterie Lamothe in Quebec, and more recently, Schœder Milk, also in the U.S. These acquisitions are part of Agropur's development strategy, and other expansion projects are currently being studied.
"The year 2008 marked 70 years of existence for Agropur, and we are proud of our cooperative's achievements over that period." The Cooperative had no borders, declared Agropur's founders. They dreamt big and with just cause: they wanted to found an organization without borders and this is precisely what Agropur has become," added Agropur President Serge Riendeau.
Ever on the forefront of market trends, Agropur stood out again last year by launching innovative products, such as Oka L'Artisan cheese, filtered Natrel Nature~Pure organic milk and Yoplait Minigo immuni+ Jr. fresh cheese.
Founded in 1938, Agropur cooperative is a market leader of the Canadian dairy industry. It has 3,615 members and close to 5,000 employees distributed among its 26 plants and numerous distribution centres and offices across Canada, the U.S. and Argentina. It processes over 2.2 billion litres of milk annually and offers an impressive array of products, including such popular brands as Québon, Oka, Sealtest, Natrel, Island Farms, Yoplait, La Lacteo, Trega and Schrœder.