Top Glaciers, a Quebec SME, recently shipped 40,000 pots of ice cream to Mexico, marking a significant expansion. Co-managers Pierre Morin and Bernard Duchesne express excitement about this new market. The company produces six brands, including Bilboquet, and has plans for a new facility to meet rising demand. With recent successes in Costco and discussions for entry into American stores, Top Glaciers aims to triple production capacity, reflecting a commitment to growth and innovation in the ice cream industry.
Exciting Developments for Top Glaciers
A fleet of trucks, each carrying a remarkable 40,000 pots of ice cream, departed from a factory on Saint-Urbain Street in Montreal at the start of the month. This shipment, destined for Mexico, marks yet another milestone for a Quebec small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) that continues to thrive.
“We’re genuinely thrilled. Mexico is a dream market, benefiting from sunshine all year round,” says Pierre Morin, who co-manages Top Glaciers alongside his partner, Bernard Duchesne.
Top Glaciers proudly produces six distinct brands—Bilboquet, Lambert, Solo Fruit, Coolway, Chagnon, and Kaiser—right from their Montreal factory. Their product line includes a delightful assortment of sorbets, ice creams, frozen creams, and private-label ice bars.
The recent shipment comprised Bilboquet sorbets intended for their latest client, Soriana, a major supermarket chain based in Monterrey, which operates 825 stores in a nation of 130 million people.
“More trucks are set to depart shortly. Our client is already eager for a reorder,” shares Morin enthusiastically about their partnership with Soriana.
Expanding Horizons and Achievements
Bilboquet products, along with those from Top Glaciers’ other brands, are currently available in 195 Metro and Super C supermarkets, as well as 300 IGA stores across Quebec.
Due to consistent growth, the Top Glaciers factory in northern Montreal has reached maximum capacity. To address this demand, the company has invested nearly $8 million in a new facility in Lachute, which is set to commence operations in January.
Top Glaciers’ foray into the Mexican market represents its second major success in a brief period, following a significant achievement in May 2023 when their mango sorbet bars made their debut at Costco. The 12-pack, priced at $14.99, sold out in less than a month.
In July 2024, they replicated this success in 110 Costco locations across Canada, once again experiencing a rapid sell-out of their products.
“Just being featured at Costco acts as a marketing tool in itself,” Morin notes.
Currently, Top Glaciers is in discussions for potential entry into American Costco stores, which could result in unprecedented sales volume for this SME.
Morin, who began his ice cream journey in 2004 by acquiring the Bilboquet counter in Outremont, co-founded Top Glaciers in 2016 alongside four other competitors to leverage their collective strengths.
They swiftly acquired the Lambert brand, which had fallen into bankruptcy. A beloved name among Quebecers since the 1960s, Lambert still sold between 500,000 to 600,000 Yule logs annually in the early 2000s.
Last year, Top Glaciers formed a partnership with Chagnon dairy, which was facing challenges at its Waterloo factory.
From just 15 employees in 2016, Top Glaciers now boasts a workforce of 115. With the opening of the Lachute factory, the company is poised to triple its production capacity.
“We’re prepared to operate 20 hours a day, seven days a week, especially if we secure a spot in Costco in the United States,” Morin envisions.
Top Glaciers Overview
– Six brands: Bilboquet, Lambert, Solo Fruit, Coolway, Chagnon, Kaiser
– Two factories: Montreal and Lachute
– 115 employees
– 100% growth in three years
– Available in 195 Metro stores, 300 IGA stores, 110 Costco warehouses, and 825 Soriana stores