The company
Located in the heart of a lively and vibrant region, Bio-Bon Inc.'s kitchens are located in Coaticook, in a corner of the Eastern Townships that is renowned for its organic farming, the richness of its productions and the diversity of its products.
Good for the heart, body and soul!
Our mission
The very essence of our mission lies in the name of our company. Bio-Bon Inc., it must be good! And in every sense of the word.
Inspired by a family tradition where local gastronomy is at the heart of everyday life, Bio-Bon Inc.'s mission is to offer high-end dishes, rich in generous homemade flavour that is just as delectable for the palate as it is healthy, good for the environment and the planet. Authentic and uncompromising, this mission to nurture the world is carried out from a sustainable development perspective that promotes local purchasing, natural products, organic farming, the well-being of individuals and the preservation of the environment.
Have the planet at heart too!
Our vision
Made with love guaranteed... for the pleasure of eating!
Bio-Bon Inc. helps create a better world by ensuring that all stages of the production and processing chain are carried out with joy, love and self-respect, of others and nature.
Thus, these intrinsic values are transmitted from the earth to the table, permeating each dish with incomparable flavour, to be enjoyed in the greatest pleasure of eating.
Put our hearts to work!
Our values
Pleasure: Maintain a pleasant and light work atmosphere where people can laugh, sing and communicate; a living space that makes you want to get up in the morning to go to work ...
Happiness: Implementing the conditions necessary for the well-being and personal development of employees by ensuring that they feel understood and supported in their needs, both emotionally, in the organization of their work or in their personal development.
Love: Nourishing the sense of love among employees by remaining vigilant to their respective needs. Ensuring that everyone continues to appreciate their mission, their task, teamwork, their tools and the products they prepare. These are the essential elements of the recipe that Bio-Bon Inc.’s Guaranteed made with love! is felt in the taste buds and the heart of the consumer.
Respect: Encouraging the development of an attitude of listening, respect and self-esteem, of co-workers and of all the individuals in the food chain: producers, suppliers, delivery drivers, distributors and, of course, consumers. This attitude of respect also extends to nature, our environment and the planet.
Integrity: Practicing honesty, authenticity and transparency in order to remain true to oneself in all of the company's actions and communications.
THE LITTLE STORY OF A GREAT ADVENTURE
Pasquale Beauvais, Founding President and Co-owner and Lahbib Aissaoui, Co-owner and CFO are the pillars of Bio-Bon Inc. Together with their team, they are doing everything possible to meet the growing demand for their quality products.
“As a child, I was already fascinated by pots and spoons. And for as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to own my own business. I should mention that this tradition has been deeply rooted in my genes for several generations, because I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My butter-maker great-grandfather was self-employed, as was my trucker grandfather and my garage owner father. The same goes for my Gagné and Tremblay grandparents who ran their work site cooking business. As for my mother, her years of involvement in municipal politics, her position as mayor and her excellent financial management of the family business have been and continue to be an inspiration and a model of women’s leadership. My maternal grandparents had twelve children – true Lac Saint-Jean “blueberries” as they were called – and everything there happened in the kitchen. Depending on the season and the garden harvests, marinades, jams and huge holiday meals were prepared. It is in this family atmosphere filled with delicious aromas and dishes concocted with love that I began to love everything culinary, the immense pleasure of feeding others with passion.”
- Pasquale Beauvais
“Descendant of a family of entrepreneurs, I think that entrepreneurship has been running through my veins since I was very young. It’s very simple; it’s part of my genes. I had been passionate about this field for so long that it was obvious that I would one day venture into this world and, better yet, become the owner of my own business. Armed with a master’s degree in finance, I first accumulated ten years of experience in the world of business and management. I enthusiastically worked as a business advisor and financial analyst for four years. I enjoyed helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses. I was grateful for the opportunity to experience the various challenges of entrepreneurship. I felt the irresistible desire to become a proud entrepreneur myself. In October 2018, with the goal of becoming a co-owner with Pasquale, I joined the formidable Bio-Bon Inc. team as an employee. Thus, along with Pasquale, I gradually began learning the workings of the company and the transfer of knowledge in order to become the company's general manager. On November 1, 2019, I was very proud to finally become co-owner of Bio-Bon Inc. with Pasquale. This new challenge in my career is extremely stimulating for me! Undoubtedly, this passion that drove me so many years ago has never faded and it is constantly growing, every day.”
- Lahbib Aissaoui
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY
1993: The first business plan
Pasquale Beauvais designed her first business plan at ProGestion Estrie and started two projects: a bakery-pastry shop in Rock Forest and a ground cherry growing and processing project in Compton. While the ground cherry adventure turned out to be a failure, the bakery-pastry shop experienced rapid growth.
Thus, in 1993, at the age of 23, she began her career in agri-food processing in the tiny kitchen of her apartment in Rock Forest.
1994: Towards new markets
Contacts in Montreal offered her a contract to prepare frozen "home cooked” type meals for the elderly and those suffering from a loss of autonomy.
Pasquale accepts the order, but realizes very quickly that transportation to Montreal is complex and sales are inadequate. She therefore embarks on a research project, which led her to an environment she knew well: seasonal producers' kiosks. Thus obtaining subcontracting contracts, she transforms their products and prepares their recipes.
1995: A first commercial space
With the growth in demand, her workspace quickly becomes too limited. As her lease is ending, she moves into a commercial space in Saint-Élie-d'Orford.
An increasing number of clients are being added to her list. Although she is very busy in summer and fall, winter and spring are still lean seasons that must be filled.
1997: A broader clientele
Following recommendations, she obtained orders from Montreal and the South Shore for the preparation of large quantities of frozen ready-to-eat meals for real estate agent offices. Since she can cook them in winter and spring, she is finally filling in her year. This increased production led her to hire a temporary employee and relocate her operations, as household ovens were no longer adequate to the task.
2000: Featured products
In 2000, she transferred her business to Waterville where she rented with an option to purchase the vacant premises of a bakery that was temporarily closing its doors. The on-site equipment allowed her to increase production, test the market and more precisely assess her needs.
She then began to offer her products to the Ayer's Cliff and North Hatley public markets. Direct contact with people helped her to better identify the tastes and needs of her customers. The young entrepreneur discovered the public's enthusiasm for healthy, regional food, which inspired her to transform an increasing number of vegetarian products and dishes.
2000: The creation of veggie pâté
Motivated by these requests, Pasquale undertook culinary research and developed a veggie pâté whose unique taste truly stood out from what existed on the market.
Numerous tasting sessions confirm consumer attraction to this new star product and reveal its great marketing potential.
2003: Expanding
Her lease in Waterville is set to expire in 2003. The owners of the old bakery wanting to redevelop their premises, she is forced to look for other facilities. Thanks to the support of the agri-food agent in her region, she finds a commercial space which has just become available in Compton, her home village. Exhausted, but happy, she embarks on another move.
May 2003: The birth of Bio-Bon Inc.
She therefore sets up her operation in this new space in Compton while investing in more efficient machinery. In the fall of the same year, she incorporated Bio-Bon Inc. whose word "Bon" means much more to her than just a guarantee of flavour. It is also the symbol of her leap forward. Fond of challenges, the young woman goes in search of untapped niches while further exploring the organic market. She cherishes the dream of one day seeing her products distributed throughout Canada and the United States. Her company is running well and she finally has a structured work schedule.
October 2005: A first honour
In the fall of 2005, the local development centre of the MRC of Coaticook awarded her the Woman entrepreneur prize at its Excel gala. It is a much appreciated honour. As for her business, she can now count on a well-established work team. Bio-Bon Inc. has the wind in its sails!
March 2006: An actual storefront
A zoning problem prevented her company from continuing its activities in the premises it occupied in Compton. After six months of searching for the ideal place for Bio-Bon Inc., unexpected help was offered to her by a businessman from Compton offering to sell her his building. She jumped at the purchase opportunity, undertakes renovations and finally settles down permanently. In March 2006, the Bio-Bon Inc. store opened its doors on the main street of her village.
Fall 2008: Bio-Bon Inc. stands out again
That year, Bio-Bon Inc. is a finalist in the Excel competition of the local development centre of the Coaticook MRC in the agri-food category.
2012: A new life choice
During all its years in Compton, the Pasquale Beauvais company never stopped exploring new avenues and growing its clientele; but life is evolving… And so is the young entrepreneur! After six years of intense labour, her experience, observations and reflections lead her to realize that somewhere along the way, she had lost the essence of Bio-Bon Inc. Yes, she continued to feed others as she had always wanted, but she was no longer nourishing herself on a daily basis. Although her mission and values remained the same in her head and in her heart, they were no longer reflected in her work. A shift was needed. But which? So many questions simmered inside her, mixed with fear, hopes, insecurity and values. How can you continue your mission of feeding the world while loving and respecting yourself first? What can be done to reduce your workload and stress without compromising the company's profitability? Finally… what had she come to accomplish on Earth?
At the end of this important introspection exercise, there were no other outcomes than to choose quality of life above all else. And so in 2012, Pasquale decided to focus the company's activities exclusively on the transformation of the two products that had built its reputation, namely veggie pâté and fruit cake. Bio-Bon Inc. then closes shop in Compton and leaves the retail market to settle in an agri-food sector in Coaticook.
November 2019: Lahbib Aissaoui, new co-owner with Pasquale Beauvais
After having learned and mastered all the cogs of this flourishing business, Lahbib finally joins Pasquale to lead the company to new stages of growth.
February 2020: Complete factory redevelopment
In order to increase the production volume and access the markets of the parent companies of the major food chains in Quebec and restaurant chains, the company carries out major renovations which must also meet federal government standards.
July 2020: The era of great changes
In order to reach an even broader market and to go beyond the Quebec borders, Bio-Bon Inc. makes a profound change in its production and its business. Substantial federal government assistance will support the two passionate entrepreneurs in their efforts. They therefore buy new equipment including a refrigeration system, a peeler and a vacuum packer and rearrange some workspaces more adequately. They are also developing a preventive control plan based on the HACCP* method in order to comply with the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), which will finally allow them to export outside Quebec and outside Canada.
Bio-Bon Inc. has the wind in its sails and its great products are increasingly available to all Canadian consumers.
*HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point.
DEVELOPMENT OF MAJOR MARKETS AND HONOURS
Spring 2014:
Bio-Bon Inc. is committed to a sustainable development approach in collaboration with Concertaction Estrie.
Summer 2014:
Bio-Bon Inc. begins to develop the HRI market (Hotels, Restaurants, Institutions) and lands very lucrative contracts with distributors Dubord and Rainville, Hector Larrivée, GFS Montreal and GFS Quebec.
November 2014:
A first sustainable development plan is born.
Fall 2015:
Bio-Bon Inc. receives the 2014-2015 recognition award in sustainable development from the SADC of the Coaticook region.
December 2016:
Bio-Bon Inc. is one of the first six companies in the Estrie region to receive the We commit to sustainable development accreditation granted by ADDER Consulting.
December 2016:
A second kitchen is developed to meet the ever-growing demand.
Spring and summer 2017:
The company must hire four new production employees to be able to meet demand.
June 2017:
Pasquale Beauvais is awarded the Reconnaissance Entrepreneur Award by the SADC of the Coaticook region, and Bio-Bon Inc. is a finalist in the Biofood Recognition category.
- A second sustainable development action plan comes into effect.
2016-2017 :
Bio-Bon Inc. experiences 55% growth. Demand for vegetarian and organic products is exploding
2018 :
Bio-Bon Inc. opens two new HRI markets (Hotels, Restaurants, Institutions), at Good Food and Sysco.
October 2018 :
Bio-Bon Inc. has revenues of over one million dollars.
October 2018 :
Lahbib Aissaoui joins the Bio-Bon Inc. team.
2018-2019 :
The challenge now is to move from an artisanal mode to an industrial mode, to set up the premises to allow for a fluid production flow to continue to grow, meet demand and plan for the next three to five years.
Rich in the experience and know-how acquired over all these years, Pasquale now views the present and the future with confidence and enthusiasm as her company takes the lead in Canadian markets and why not, the whole world!
February 2019 :
A third sustainable development action plan comes into effect.
May 2019 :
Bio-Bon inc. Inc renews its accreditation We are committed to sustainable development 2019-2021.
October 2019 :
Bio-Bon Inc. is a finalist in the Exploitation - Transformation - Production category of the Gala Excellence of the CCIRC (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Coaticook Region).
Today, we are now a great team of eighteen people, including three independent workers.