A true institution with the wind in its sails, Fromagerie Victoria de Victoriaville continues to expand its tentacles through its numerous franchises which are springing up almost everywhere.
A group of shareholders who own the Saint-Eustache branch, including the original Victoriavillois Olivier B. Roy, sees big for Fromagerie Victoria and wishes to develop the Greater Montreal market in the coming years. “There are only two branches, one in Saint-Jérôme and the other in Sainte-Julie. They are the closest to Greater Montreal. We see it as an opportunity to establish ourselves there,” underlines Anne Scheffer, responsible for the communication and marketing component and general governance of the Saint-Eustache branch.
Initially, the group had in mind to open five branches in five years. Terrebonne, Laval, but also Granby, are in the cards. “What we really want is to do things well. If it has to be three openings in five years, this will be it. It’s also a question of good location and having the right branch operator, the right person in general management. We will not launch if we are not sure of the location or the operator. We prefer to do things well rather than take unnecessary risks,” notes Anne Scheffer.
“The franchiser, Fromagerie Victoria, also helps us with the location aspect based on its studies and contacts,” adds Olivier B. Roy, who now lives in Warwick.
From a school project to the business world
The opening of the Saint-Eustache branch resulted, in fact, from a university project. “We were finishing our MBA (masters in business administration) and there were two of us in the group together for a final year project. We had to support a company throughout its strategic planning,” says Anne Scheffer. Fromagerie Victoria was proposed. “With a growth plan on the table, perhaps they needed a helping hand. We interviewed them and really fell in love, not only with the brand, but very much with them as individuals. We really liked the very Quebecois, very family, very close and not stuffy aspect of the Fromagerie,” expresses Anne.
A very human side, she observes. “The people who work there are really very easy to approach. You feel that you are talking to your neighbor or your brother-in-law. There was something very human that was felt a lot in the branches in each of our visits, as well as when speaking with different franchisees. »
Another aspect militated for the choice of Fromagerie Victoria rather than another chain or banner: it is an entirely Quebec company. “Our MBA focused a lot on the aspect of the circular and sustainable economy. For me, it made no sense to invest in a company that is not predominantly in Quebec and that does not distribute Quebec products. That played a big role in the balance. Almost everything we use comes from Canada and mainly from Quebec. In my opinion, it is very important in 2025. It really contributed to my love for the brand and to this start of adventure with others,” confides Anne Scheffer. In carrying out their planning, the members of the group noted that everything had to depend heavily on the development of Greater Montreal.
-An opportunity presented itself in Saint-Eustache. Since opening in March 2024, business has been going well, even beyond expectations! “For the first year, we achieved our objectives and we are aiming for interesting growth from year to year. This is what we are banking on for the future,” comments Anne Scheffer, adding that an opening is always a big deal.
“It comes with great volume. There is great initial curiosity, considering that it is still a recognized brand. It gets pretty boring the first year, she notes. The operator should initially focus on operations. This requires a certain form of supervision at the tax, legal and marketing levels. So, a group like ours with very diverse experiences also reassures the franchisor. » “We each have our strengths,” adds Olivier B. Roy.
“We can all build on our own expertise and rely on that of others. It creates a group of people who are pleasant to work with,” continues Anne. “Without this project,” Olivier continues, “I would not have known these people. We would never have found ourselves on the same road. It’s because of a project like this. It creates bonds, friendships, strong bonds for the future. That’s what excites me as an entrepreneur, what’s next. Because, yes, we are talking about the Cheese Factory. But in our group, we are closed to nothing, sky is the limit! We are four people pushing in the same direction. »
We will see, says Anne, what the future holds and if other projects will emerge. What we do know, however, is that Fromagerie Victoria will continue to make new ones. Many others were added to the very first franchise established in Warwick in 2016, so much so that the president of Fromagerie Victoria, Marc-André Gosselin is aiming for 40 franchises within 5 years, thus making Victoriaville shine in different places on Quebec soil.
To the great pleasure of Mayor Antoine Tardif for whom the company constitutes an emblem of Victoriaville. “We couldn’t be more proud to see it continue its expansion here with a new factory,” he said in September, when announcing the construction of a $6 million food processing plant in the ‘Daniel-Gaudreau industrial ecopark.
