Iconic Oka cheese brand sold to French cheese group

Agropur cheeses on display in Montreal on October 31, 2016. (The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes)

Agropur announced Tuesday it has reached an agreement with French dairy company Lactalis to sell its fine cheese business, including production of the well-known Oka cheese.

The transaction includes the company’s plants in Oka and Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., as well as the trademarks Agropur owns in its fine cheese portfolio.

Agropur said the sale is intended to simplify and optimize its operations by focusing on activities that “generate the most value for its dairy producer members,” according to a company news release.

The co-operative said its priority businesses include fluid milk, industrial cheese, butter and dairy ingredients.

“Although profitable, our fine cheese operations represent a limited share of our business and a small proportion of the milk we process in Canada,” Agropur said.

In addition to Oka cheese, which the co-operative acquired from the Trappist monks in 1981, Agropur owns several other cheese brands, including Monsieur Gustav products and a range of soft cheeses.

Lactalis already owns several dairy brands in Canada, including P’tit Québec cheeses, Béatrice and Lactantia milk, and Ficello cheese.

The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval, including from the Competition Bureau, before it can be completed.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 15, 2026.