Freedom is not a brand of yogurt, claimed the great Pierre Falardeau. Well, it’s not a brand of cream cheese anymore either, much to the detriment of bagel lovers.
The Liberté company ceased production of its spreadable cheese, which began in Quebec in 1932, three weeks ago.
For a year, Liberté has belonged to the American giant General Mills, which did not respond to our interview requests on Thursday.
“This product has been discontinued, as it is no longer possible for Liberté to continue supplying the high-quality product,” writes the multinational on its website.
The Journal instead learned between the branches that the Ontario factory where the famous spreadable cheese was produced has just been closed.
A big void to fill
“We just lost our traditional classic,” says Saul Restrepo, manager of the legendary St-Viateur Bagel in Montreal.
The institution, which has been open since 1957, was already selling Liberté cream cheese when he started working there in 1981.
“Every time I called, I spoke to Quebecers,” he recalls.
Le Journal spent just under an hour in the store on -St-Viateur on Thursday.
Through conversations with the ten or so employees present, we realize that Liberté cheese held a special place among bagel lovers.
“It will make a hole in our fridge, it was a good product. And a good product is easy to sell,” explains the store manager.
This one branch of St-Viateur Bagel sold 50 dozen jars a week, for example.
Party while crowning
“Customers are still asking for it. This very morning, there is one who left cursing, because we don’t have any more, ”he laughs.
Just during the hour we were there, several customers searched for the product.
“It’s a shame that it’s gone, it was by far the best, much better than Philadelphia,” took the time to point out Céline, a customer in her sixties who has been picking up her bagels and cheese here “for too long. for me to say it”.
To replace the prominent place occupied by Liberté cream cheese in his fridges, Saul Restrepo turned to a Norwegian product from the Arla brand.
“He is also very good, but he comes from very far,” he drops.
A long story
Liberty Dairy Products was founded in 1936 right next to St-Viateur Bagel.
Legend has it that the family behind the company gave the name Liberty in honor of the hope aroused by the sight of the Statue of Liberty when it came to the continent.
The company changed hands in 1971 and was renamed Liberty. It was then acquired by Yoplait in 2010, which was itself acquired by General Mills in 2011.
