The popularity of canned drinks has exploded in recent years, a craze which is particularly reflected in sales of Montellier carbonated water. The Alex Coulombe company, which produces them, has even decided to invest in cutting-edge equipment to meet demand.
Published at 6:00 a.m.
Montellier water was launched in 1984 by the Quebec company Alex Coulombe, which itself has existed since 1905. But it is really since the launch of a new visual identity and the blue tapered can, there is eight years, it has experienced a constant gain in popularity.
“It was a big hit, consumers loved the color and shape of the can, and we released more flavors,” says Marc Coulombe, president of the company and grandson of its founder. .
In addition to Montellier production, the company produces Cristalline still water, but above all… it has the contract to bottle and can Pepsi for east-central Quebec.
That’s a lot of containers to fill every day, and the trend is increasing.
“The can exploded in popularity in North America around the time of COVID. People want more and more different formats and flavors. We have to keep up and even be ahead of this pace, so that forces us to have a more flexible production line than what we had 15 or 20 years ago,” summarizes Marc Coulombe.
To keep pace, the entrepreneur is investing 6.5 million in a new bottling and seaming system. This will allow more flexibility, in addition to increasing bottling capacity, increasing it from 1,250 to 1,600 cans per minute.
The equipment will leave Europe by boat and should arrive in Quebec in March, for operation in April, explains Marc Coulombe. To his knowledge, Alex Coulombe will become the first company in North America to have this model, launched a little over a year ago.
A family story
The company is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. Initially, it produced soft drinks under the Saveurs Coulombe trademark, before directing its activities more towards bottling for Pepsi, gradually expanding its distribution territory by purchasing competitors.
Today, 400 people work for Alex Coulombe, whether in the bottling plant in Quebec or in one of its four distribution centers located in Trois-Rivières, La Malbaie, Rivière-du-Loup and Saint -George.
At 61 years old, Marc Coulombe does not have to worry about the next generation. His three children, Émilie, Catherine and Alexandre, own the business with him. The fourth generation of Coulombe is taking up the torch.
Escaparium escape game wins prize
PHOTO FROM THE ESCAPARIUM WEBSITE
Cirque Magnifico escape game is the best of its kind, according to a new global ranking.
The Laval company Escaparium won a prestigious award for one of its escape games. This one, named Le Cirque Magnifico, ranked number one in the world during the 2024 edition of the Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards (TERPECA). This immersive adventure, which lasts two and a half hours and includes three live actors, required an investment of 1.3 million. “Our teams have dedicated time, resources and unwavering passion to perfecting the art of escape room games. These results demonstrate that the efforts made are paying off,” said Jonathan Driscoll, president of the company founded nine years ago.
An investment of 5.5 million for JL Leclerc
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE MINISTRY OF THE ECONOMY, INNOVATION AND ENERGY
From left to right: the senior account director at Investissement Québec, Sarah Audet; the CEO of JL Leclerc, Jérôme Leclerc; the MP for Lotbinière-Frontenac, Isabelle Lecours; and the financial director of JL Leclerc, Gabriel Caouette, in front of a machine acquired thanks to investment from the Quebec government
The Quebec government announced last month a loan of 5.5 million to the company JL Leclerc to enable it to acquire a new building and equipment in order to improve its productivity and achieve its growth objectives. This Saint-Apollinaire SME specializes in the design, manufacturing and assembly of mechanically welded parts and products, mainly for the energy and transport industries. The amount comes in part from Investissement Québec’s own funds, and from the ESSOR program, administered by Investissement Québec as a government agent.
A 26e branch for Fromagerie Victoria
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Fromagerie Victoria’s cheese curds are featured in its restaurants.
A 26e branch of Fromagerie Victoria has just opened its doors, in Nicolet, in Mauricie. Its famous cheese curds are featured in a variety of poutines, but the restaurant also offers several other meal options as well as ice cream. The Nicolet branch has 82 seats and employs around thirty people. “For us, opening a branch in Nicolet was a natural complement,” says one of the co-owners of the franchise, William Plante, who also manages three other restaurants of the Victorian cheese factory.
43 %
This is the proportion of SME owners who consider the situation of their business to be good, compared to 44% who consider it acceptable and 14% who consider it to be bad, according to a study by the Canadian Federation of Business. independent business (CFIB). The organization notes that SMEs have had to navigate troubled waters in 2024, due to labor conflicts in the areas of rail transport, ports and post. “Added to this are restrictions on temporary foreign workers and, at the end of the year, fears linked to customs tariffs with the United States,” underlines the CFIB.
