La Fourmi is proud to celebrate its 20th year in business as a pioneer in high-quality cereal and snack manufacturing. Since it was founded in 2004, La Fourmi has been passionate about creating products using healthy, local, fair trade and organic ingredients. Over the years, the company has continued to evolve to meet consumer expectations and market trends.
Along the way, the company and its founder have garnered over a dozen awards and accolades:
- 2006: Geneviève was awarded the Jeune Chambre de Commerce de Montréal’s “Défi entrepreneur extrême” as well as the first regional prize for the sixth edition of the Concours Québécois en entrepreneuriat, and the “Coup de cœur” award at the Anges financiers de Montréal contest, organized by the JCCM in collaboration with the FMMJ.
- 2007: Geneviève won the Canadian Youth Business Foundation’s National Grand Prize.
- 2008 Geneviève took home the prestigious ARISTA—Young Entrepreneur award presented by the Jeune Chambre de commerce de Montréal.
- 2009: Geneviève received the Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton “Prix Réussite en affaires” at the 11th edition of the Concours Québécois en entrepreneuriat.
- 2011: Geneviève was selected in the entrepreneur—small business category at the 11th Concours Prix Femmes d’affaires du Québec and received the same award in the medium-sized business category in 2019.
- 2014: La Fourmi’s Chocolatier granola was a finalist in the CTAQ[VT1] competition’s dry goods category.
- 2015: La Fourmi’s Gourmet Granola line was selected for the product category within Concours DUX’s Précurseur division.
- 2017: La Fourmi won two awards at the Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards for its innovative Nutbrown line. It also earned a spot in the annual PROFIT500 ranking.
- 2018: La Fourmi won two Gaïa awards for excellence in food packaging: the award for best packaging in its category for the Gourmet Granola line redesign and the Aliment du Québec award.
- 2020: La Fourmi once again earned a spot in the annual PROFIT500 ranking and was a finalist for the Montreal Chamber of Commerce’s Mercuriade—entrepreneurship award.
- 2021: La Fourmi was a finalist for the Concours québécois en entrepreneurship’s “Prix Réussite en affaires”, and the company was included in the Growth List of 400 fastest-growing Canadian companies
- 2022: Evol chose Geneviève Gagnon to be one of 25 ambassadors for their 1001 Reasons to Make a Difference campaign. The company’s new packaging was recognized as part of the CTAQ’s annual contest.
La Fourmi’s Major Milestones
During the first year, President Geneviève Gagnon develo
Soon after, she and her twin, Valérie-Anne, who took over business development, expanded their line and market. No longer limited to stores or delis, the company’s clientele extended to the specialty hotel industry, with Germain’s boutique hotels and the Queen Elizabeth in Montreal.
In 2006, the president settled into her own manufacturing facility with the help of her older sister, Nathalie, a trained engineer.
In 2007, two additional flavours and a new size were launched (Divine, Nature and the family size). The factory expanded to meet rising demand.
In 2009, La Fourmi began expanding into Ontario, as well as a few stores in France. Then, one year later, the Euphoria flavour was launched. That year, the packaging was also redesigned to include more colour.
In 2010, packaging was completely revamped, and product distribution was extended to the rest of Canada.
In 2012, dried fruit and nut snacks were retailed after previously only being available in institutional settings. A year later, 2015 marked the beginning of [VT1] a partnership with chocolatier Geneviève Granbois, a union that would ultimately lead to a special edition that has since become a permanent flavour: the Chocolatier mix.
2018 saw the factory’s expansion and the new Nutbrown brand, a grain-free, roasted nut and seed granola blend, being certified gluten-free. Meanwhile, the new Gourmet Granola Zen flavour (a unique sweet and salty blend) was launched. This was also the year that the Gourmet Granola brand evolved into the current Grand Granola.
In 2020, the company launched an innovative line of overnight oats under the Müska brand. La Fourmi then earned the B Corp certification, thanks to its high social and environmental responsibility standards. Finally, in 2022, the Grand Granola brand underwent another makeover, getting a vibrant new look to stand out on the shelf like never before!
In 2023, the company expanded its warehouse to meet demand for all its products.
La Fourmi’s journey has been marked by transformation, with its lines becoming staples in the food sector:
- Grand Granola: healthy and decadent granolas, lightly browned with honey and maple syrup and made with an average of 75% Quebec ingredients and 80 to 86% organic ingredients.
- The Müska line: balanced, low-sugar cereals with aromas of vanilla and toasted nuts, flavoured with our delicious Dukkah Brunch.
- Nutbrown: our innovative line of grain-free, gluten-free and Paleo granolas made with roasted nuts and seeds.
- Foodie Mix: healthy snacks made with nuts, seeds and gourmet ingredients such as sulfite-free dried fruit or chocolate.
The packaging design has evolved significantly since the original 2003 version, resulting in 5 redesigns as well as changes to the brand name. Brand recognition was called into question each time, with attempts to simplify the logo. In 2022, brand
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Today, La Fourmi is more determined than ever to maintain its focus on continuous improvement—with its products as well as its social and environmental commitments, without ever overlooking the taste or quality of the ingredients. The adventure continues!
A word from the president:
“To achieve success, I believe it takes a great deal of creativity to put forth the effort and resources required to face the many challenges along the builder’s journey. We thank everyone who has supported us over the years and look forward to continuing to evolve as a responsible and committed company. Here at La Fourmi, we believe in a healthier, more sustainable life for everyone.”
Geneviève Gagnon, February 2023.
