Vergers Paul Jodoin: Innovation at the Heart of Growth

Vergers Paul Jodoin not only produces fruit juices and beverages but also manufactures its own plastic bottles. With a new automated second line, the company is setting up this innovative process. Additionally, construction on a massive greenhouse for producing grafted apple trees is nearing completion in Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montérégie.

Thanks to a team of 140 employees, Vergers Paul Jodoin is thriving. Its integration strategy is bearing fruit.

The company’s juices are now distributed throughout Canada via two major grocery chains. With plans to expand its presence in the United States, where it has been operating for a decade, the company aims to target a younger and more modern market through its private labels.

Vergers Paul Jodoin, a family business, cultivates 750 acres of apple trees, making it one of Quebec’s largest private orchards. Producing a wide variety of fresh juices and fruit beverages under several brands, the company is also involved in packaging apples for retail.

In an effort to increase self-sufficiency, the company began manufacturing its own plastic bottles two years ago, ensuring a stable supply chain for its refrigerated juices.

“Manufacturing our own bottles has secured our supply chain, allowing us to create custom formats and designs for our products,” said Alexandre Jodoin, the company’s general manager.

The company is also implementing a five-year plan to consistently upgrade its equipment and processes.

Vergers Paul Jodoin is preparing to launch a new stretch-blow molding line using 100% recyclable plastic for its non-refrigerated juices and beverages.

To maintain full control over the new apple trees it plants, the company is currently building a huge greenhouse near its facilities on the north side of Mount Rougemont.

“We don’t just plant seeds; we plant grafted trees,” illustrates Alexandre Jodoin. To avoid a two-year wait for trees from suppliers, the company has been experimenting with growth lamps for control.

The Jodoin family has been in the apple business in the Rougemont/Saint-Jean-Baptiste region for 125 years.

The company is also undergoing a succession process, which began 10 years ago. Paul Jodoin’s three sons (Sylvain, Pierre, and François, still shareholders) will soon pass the torch to five successors, including Alexandre, three other family members, and a member of management.

Founder Paul Jodoin was also an innovation enthusiast, credited as the first apple producer to introduce controlled atmosphere storage facilities. He was instrumental in popularizing raw apple juice in the early 1990s, as mentioned by his grandson Alexandre.