Lafleur (brand)

Lafleur is a trademark of Olymel (l.p.), owned by. The cooked meats brand, specializing in the processing of pork products, was founded in 1912 by Alphonse Lafleur (1882-1934). Lafleur products are sold only in Quebec.

Description

Lafleur is a specialized brand in the Quebec meat processing industry. Over seventy products are sold under this trademark, including smoked sausages. Their products are divided into 8 categories: fresh bacon, fully cooked bacon, smoked sausages, fresh sausages, ham, deli, sliced deli and spreads, like cretons or head cheese.[1][2]

Since 2005, Lafleur has been owned by Olymel, l.p., headquartered in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. They employ nearly 10,000 people in Canada.[3][4]

Lafleur produces 15 million kilograms of products each year. Most of their products are made in the Québec region.[3][5]

History

Alphonse Lafleur started a deli meat shop bearing his name in the St. Roch in Limoilou, Quebec, in 1912.[6] The business was known for sausages and deli prepared with a careful selection and blending of spices.[5]

In 1913, Lafleur began acquiring the lots adjacent to his shop. He purchased more lots in 1920, enabling him to increase the size of the business.[6] In 1934, at the age of 52, the founder Alphonse Lafleur died and his wife Oliva became the president of the company. Oliva and her four sons (Jean-Marie, Gérard, Raymond et Georges-Henri) inherited the business. The commerce was transformed into a corporation and the company's capital stock was established at 20,000 dollars, or 200 shares at 100 dollars each.[6]

The company focused on pork products until 1942. That year, the family decided to diversify and began slaughtering cattle. Oliva Lafleur was president of the company until 1943. She then passed the business on to her children, along with the company shares.

Visual Branding (logo)

Throughout the 50s, the Lafleur logo was bearing the words "A. Lafleur Ltée."[6]

In 1978, the logo displayed a flower inside the corner of the letter "L".[6]

The company decided to rejuvenate the logo that adorned the brand's products in 1984. The new signature, with the "u" in Lafleur surmounted by five red petals, was inspired by the words of Alphonse, the founder, who always said he was making "the flower of sausages".

The company used a modified version of their logo to promote the centennial of the brand in 2012. It had the same appearance as the official logo, replacing the word "Lafleur" with "100 years", or "100 ans" in French.

Products

More than seventy Lafleur products are offered, under 8 categories:[2]

Bacon

Deli products

Sliced deli products

Smoked sausages

Breakfast sausages

Ham

Spreads

• Fully cooked bacon
• Fresh bacon

• Full-serve deli counter
• Self-serve deli counter

• Shaved meats
• Sliced cold cuts

Certifications

Lafleur products are prepared under the supervision of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

The facilities are compliant with the Food Safety Enhancement Program (FSEP)[7] and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards. This systematic and preventive guideline to enhance food safety is recommended by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the United Nations international standards organization for food safety.[11]

In August 2010, the company embarked on a process to bring all its facilities up to Safe Quality Foods (SQF) Code standards, a certification recognized internationally by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).[12]

The Lafleur products all bear the label "Aliments du Québec"

Plants

The Lafleur products are prepared in facilities in Saint-Henri-de-Lévis, Drummondville, Trois-Rivières, Cornwall and Anjou (slicing). Over 1780 employees work in these plants.[1][6]

Publication

In honour of their 100th anniversary in 2012, the Lafleur brand was featured in a recipe book called "De Lafleur à votre table." The company's corporate chef, Marc Laroche, contributed all the recipes in the book, highlighting their products along with some popular, local products like cheese and maple syrup.

Advertising

In the early 1990s, celebrity hockey player Guy Lafleur became the advertising spokesman for "La Bonne Fourchette" sausages, a Lafleur product line. "The Flower," as hockey fans knew him, pushed the brand recognition even higher.

In 2009, Lafleur launched a major publicity campaign. The brand replaced the name of products with their logo.[5]

Lafleur began the celebration of their centennial with the launch of a TV commercial, "Au cœur de vos moments partagés," aired for the first time on the popular year-end show Bye Bye, in 2011.

Throughout 2012, the company celebrated their 100 years in business with various in-stores and TV promotions.[14] A Facebook page was also launched to engage a discussion with consumers.[3]

In 2014, Lafleur launched two advertising campaign. The first one, in French, featured Bob Le Chef with the tag line "On se dit les Vraies Affaires."[15]

External links