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OUR BUSINESS HISTORY

La Binerie Plantagenet and La Cuisine Jean-Bernard come from family traditions going back to 1904.

 

1904

Ovila Lalonde leaves his home town of Papineauville, Québec and opens a bakery, Boulangerie Lalonde, on Water Street in Plantagenet.

 

1938

Fernand Lalonde takes over his father’s bakery.

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1950

Fire destroys the bakery, but Fernand rebuilds and the business continues. In the best years, up to 5,000 loaves a week are baked at Boulangerie Lalonde. Fernand’s wife, Laurenza, and his brother Georges also work at the bakery.

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The 1960's - Fèves au lard Lalonde

Small town bakeries can now hardly compete with the new large grocery stores and their many products. Laurenza now runs the bakery and converts it to a baked beans business. The name changes to Fèves au lard Lalonde. The large wood-burning oven can cook up to 92 big cauldrons in one batch!

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1977

Jean-Pierre, Laurenza and Ovila Lalonde's son takes over the family business.

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1977 - Binerie à Paulin

Paulin and Marielle Lapensée start a new bean business: La Binerie à Paulin. Paulin worked for Laurenza Lalonde for many years, where he gained experience. He has precise plans for a new oven and kitchen. The two-level oven measures 15 feet wide by 14 feet deep and can take up to 200 cauldrons. In their first year of operation, the Lapensées cook 25 tons of beans.

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The 1980's

With two businesses that produce hundreds of tons of baked beans, Plantagenet is now known as the Bean Capital! The Lalondes and the Lapensées both have their secret recipe and customers flock to Plantagenet to buy the famous beans.

Both businesses serve bean suppers to many organizations and sell their products in grocery stores. They both grow and develop new products and markets. The Lapensées create their spaghetti sauce, macaroni and chilli while the Lalondes focus on sandwiches, fresh sugar pies, chicken à la king, meat pies and turkey pies.

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The 1990's - La Cuisine Jean-Bernard

In 1990, Dominique Auger becomes partner in Fèves aux lard Lalonde, where he has been working since he was 15 years old. 

In 1990, Alain Lapensée takes over the family business. He can still count on his family's help - his parents, sisters Chantal and Nathalie and his brother Luc.

In 1991, Jean-Pierre Lalonde and his brother Bernard open La Cuisine Jean-Bernard, a catering service.

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2000 - La Binerie Plantagenet

Alain Lapensée, Jean-Pierre Lalonde and Dominique Auger merge the three businesses and create La Binerie Plantagenet. 

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2010

After many succesful years in business, Jean-Pierre Lalonde sells his shares to his partners Alain Lapensée and Dominique Auger and retires.

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2019

A third generation of Lapensées officially joined the ranks at La Binerie Plantagenet, a family-run business operating for more than 40 years. Chloé, daughter of coowner Alain Lapensée, along with her aunt Chantal and uncle Luc recently became partners. They purchased the shares of co-owner Dominique Auger who has decided to go into retirement.

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