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Business
The Early History of the Bonnyville Creamery
Bonnyville
Creamery built in 1924
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The Bonnyville Creamery
was constructed and began operation in 1924 under the direction
of Mr. H.O. Beauchamp. Pioneer settlers in the area, previous
to this time, used the cream produced by their cows mainly
for home consumption. Any surplus of raw cream could be
sold to customers in Bonnyville or the home churned butter
was sold or bartered at the general store for the farmer's
necessary supplies. The newly established creamery, in the
first year of operation, produced 56,506 pounds of butter
with Mr. A. Blanchard as the first buttermaker. Of this
total, 52,000 pounds were sold through the Provincial Department
Marketing Service for 31.27 cents per pound. The Department
had outlets in Alberta and British Columbia with shipments
also being made to England, China and Japan. Butter when
bought at the grocery store came in two categories: "dairy",
made by the farmer's wife or "creamery", made
by the factory or plant. The creamery operated for six years
under Mr. Beauchamp with Mr. A. McNichol as buttermaker
1925-26, and Mr. J. Meadelung 1927-29.
In 1930 the Bonnyville Creamery was taken over and operated
by Mr. D.C. Fender. In that year the butter made was 54,200
pounds. Under "Cliff" Fender's management the
annual production increased significantly to 388,252 pounds
by 1940. In those intervening Depression years, Cliff's
helping hand with cash advances will be remembered by many
needy cream shippers. The cream was delivered to the creamery
in a variety of containers from eight and five gallon cans
down to five pound lard pails and creamers. No matter how
small, the cream cheques provided many farmers' wives with
a bit of "pin money" for desired purchases.
Jerry
Zazulak, manager
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When the Northern Alberta
Dairy Pool Ltd. took over in 1944 Mr. H. A. Hansen was named
manager and Mr. Alec Tropak continued as buttermaker to
be followed by Mr. Tommie Heath when production of butter
increased to 646,380 pounds annually. In 1948, when Mr.
Jerry Zazulak became manager, production had declined to
500,000 pounds but was steadily increased to peak production
of 907,526 pounds. Jerry Zazulak and members of his staff
continuously stressed the importance of quality butter.
Their support of dairy meetings and dairy field days contributed
greatly to increased quality. Starting in 1951, butter from
the Bonnyville Creamery won many provincial, national and
international awards, ribbons and honors. Twice the exhibits
from Bonnyville won the Alberta Department of Agriculture
Special awards at the Toronto Royal Winter Fair; the exhibitor's
Sweepstake also at the Toronto Royal and special award at
the Canadian National Exhibition.
The hours were long in the operation and management of the
plant. Churning of butter many times began as early as 4
a.m. During the spring and summer months over 400 cans of
cream a day were processed. Forty percent of the cream came
by train as far east as Ashmont and had to be graded, tested
and pasturized after it was delivered by Mr. Gaspard Martin's
horse drawn dray at about 7:30 or 8 o'clock in the evening.
The old building has been replaced to keep up with the changes
in the dairy industry and the Bonnyville Creamery continues
to produce and distribute high quality dairy products in
this part of the province.
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