A sweet tooth knows no age

Ice cream often evokes thoughts of lazy days, vacations, childhood... At least that’s what it brought to mind for Gaëtan Lebel, President of Aliments Lebel, as he was nearing retirement. Little did he know that he was about to embark on a major investment project to diversify his company’s production. At an age when other heads of enterprise are thinking about hanging up the towel, Gaëtan Lebel has become Quebec’s leading manufacturer of premium-quality extruded ice cream products comparable to those offered by the company Häagen-Daz..

Right idea at the right time

Meeting with a Canada Economic Development advisor was just the spark Gaëtan Lebel needed to light his entrepreneurial flame. A few months later, amid great fanfare, he launched a line of extruded ice cream products after investing $860,000 and creating seven new jobs at his Lachute factory.

This investment would not have been possible without the financial support of Canada Economic Development for the acquisition of new manufacturing equipment. “There is nothing more motivating than to meet professionals committed to helping us achieve our goals,” explained Gaëtan Lebel. “The people at Canada Economic Development believed in my project and were right there with me every step of the way. Through teamwork, we were able to deliver our first products to our customers within three months. That’s quite a feat!”

Today, thanks to Gaëtan Lebel’s vision, thousands of customers are able to enjoy delicious frozen treats made right here in Quebec and sold in markets as far off as the United States. With any luck, this entrepreneur will continue putting off his retirement to pursue more projects for the benefit of the Lachute community.