Thornloe Cheese

“It’s all about thinking outside the box and making sure that you really, really know what your customers want.”

Whether it’s fresh curds, aged cheddar or a sharp-tasting blue, Thornloe Cheese has been offering up delectable cheeses to countless locals for over 70 years. Located just south of Thornloe on Highway 11, the company has an established reputation for quality and enjoys an impressively strong regional following.

Churned Into Something New

Founded in 1940, Thornloe Cheese has always catered to its local clientele, provided good local jobs and stood as a roadside stop for countless travelers. But in 2007, then owner Parmalat announced that the plant no longer fit its business strategy.

Worried that the plant would be closed, a group of local farmers banded together and entered negotiations with Gencor Inc., which led to a funding application to the NOHFC. Approved under the Enterprises North Job Creation Program, Gencor received NOHFC support to acquire the Thornloe Cheese brand, save the plant and its local jobs and cultivate growth in the future.

The Cheese Monger

Yves Gauthier, Executive Manager at the “new” Thornloe Cheese, was one of the farmers involved in saving the cheese plant. He jokes, “I’ve always been doing stuff with Thornloe Cheese - the only difference is now I get paid for it.” When he officially came on board with the company, he knew that Thornloe Cheese would need to make some drastic changes to stay competitive.

Gauthier learned about a new program rolled out by the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) that rewards product innovations with a larger milk quota, a true lifeline in the dairy industry. This presented a real opportunity for Thornloe Cheese to expand beyond its cheddar cheese roots. Buoyed by another successful application to the NOHFC, the company purchased equipment to create new product lines, lower operating costs and expand the plant’s storefront.

“That is why it was so important to get the new equipment that we needed, and so important we got that funding from the NOHFC – because the plant was basically equipped to make cheddar. This has allowed us to make other cheeses,” said Gauthier. Without the NOHFC’s investment in new equipment, Gauthier was convinced they would have quickly priced themselves out of the market.

Here for a Gouda Time

“We went guns a-blazing and found a really good specialist in cheese development,” said Gauthier. Thornloe Cheese won several prestigious awards including multiple top five finishes at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the British Empire Cheese Competition in 2009 and 2010, respectively. As a thank you to their loyal customers and the local community, many of their newly developed cheeses are named for townships in the area, such as Charlton, Evanturel and Temiskaming. Gauthier said it was only natural. “We have our milk produced by northern Ontario producers who are very proud of the fact that some of their milk is processed locally and offered to the northern people.”

With production in full swing and new products for sale, Gauthier and his staff have been working hard to bring its line of cheeses to other markets – sometimes requiring unconventional business tactics. One of Thornloe Cheese’s best customers also happens to be a top competitor, and by supplying each other they’ve overcome some of the challenges of being a small business in the food industry. Gauthier believes that “you shouldn’t be afraid to approach your competitors and see if you can help one another. Sure, some will slam the door in your face, but cost sharing works – there are alliances out there that can help.”

Looking back on all the changes that have been made, Gauthier maintains “it’s all about thinking outside the box and making sure that you really, really know what your customers want.” Based on this track record, it’s probably a safe bet that customers can expect more of the same – fresh, top quality products.