Founded in 1976, Fromagerie La Chaudière is a Quebec-based company specializing in the processing and distribution of cheese products. Known for its fresh daily cheeses and refined specialty cheeses, the company now employs nearly 230 people and serves a highly diverse clientele ranging from major grocery chains to restaurants, convenience stores and independent distributors. It relies on its own distribution network to serve Quebec, as well as partners to reach Ontario and Western Canada.
Before implementing Fidelio ERP, Fromagerie La Chaudière relied on several separate systems to manage accounting, sales, inventory and traceability, along with numerous Excel files. This fragmentation made access to information more complex and limited the organization’s ability to obtain a comprehensive, reliable and real-time view of its operations.
In a context of sustained growth and ownership transition, the company felt the need to rely more heavily on structured data and concrete indicators to support decision-making and ensure long-term sustainability.
Additionally, following the acquisition of the company, some processes needed to be formalized, particularly in inventory management, which had largely relied on the experience of the former owners or Excel files. The implementation of control points within Fidelio made it possible to ensure proper order tracking, confirm receipt of orders, and adjust cost prices in real time based on supplier pricing.
“We had a lot of critical information, but it was scattered. We needed more rational and structured tools to help us make decisions based on numbers.”
- Thomas Paradis Levasseur, Director of Finance
The selection process was based on a detailed specification document developed with the support of external consulting firms. Several solutions were evaluated according to precise criteria such as flexibility, user-friendliness, the ability to support existing processes and ease of adoption by the teams.
Ease of use and the software’s ability to adapt to production and management processes, such as daily order processing, precise inventory tracking and quality controls, played a decisive role in the final decision.
“The simplicity and efficiency of the solution really tipped the balance. In particular, everything related to traceability seemed much simpler in Fidelio than in the other systems we evaluated.”
The first phase of the project mainly focused on key administrative processes, including purchasing, accounting, sales, as well as order and inventory management.
Collaboration between the teams at Fromagerie La Chaudière and Fidelio was essential in adapting the solution to the company’s critical processes. Personalized support helped employees quickly become familiar with the system while adopting the best practices offered by Fidelio.
“I loved working with our Fidelio business analyst. His availability, responsiveness and deep understanding of our processes really made a difference,” says Thomas Paradis Levasseur.
Change management was facilitated by the early involvement of the teams, tailored training and transparent communication about the expected benefits.
Since going live, Fromagerie La Chaudière has benefited from a much more integrated and coherent environment. Unifying data within a single system improves information reliability, reduces manual tasks and lays the foundation for the next phases of the project.
Among the benefits observed:
Significant time savings on certain low value tasks
“Thanks to automation, one of our employees saves about 20 hours per week on a manual task that carried a high risk of errors. That is where we clearly see the impact of the project.”
Before implementing Fidelio, Fromagerie La Chaudière worked with the company Modèle BI to produce reports and analytics tools in Microsoft Power BI. With the implementation of the new system, it became necessary to integrate Fidelio data into their Power BI tools.
The collaboration between Fromagerie La Chaudière, Modèle BI and Fidelio made it possible to develop clear dashboards adapted to the operational reality of the cheese producer. Delivery drivers on the road now have real-time access to order status, while the management team can monitor key indicators, simplifying operational follow up and daily decision-making.
The Modèle BI team was able to understand the company’s specific needs and adjust the indicators, so they accurately reflect operational reality, allowing teams to rely on concrete and reliable data to guide their actions.
Phase 2 of the project is part of a progressive optimization and modernization approach. It includes securing and optimizing production reports as well as gradually deploying tools directly in the plant. The objective is to cover the entire operational chain, from production to customer service, to support a sustainable digital transformation.
The B2B ecommerce portal complements this approach by giving customers direct and autonomous access to their information, including orders, invoices and delivery tracking. This self-service visibility allows customers to consult the information they need at any time without relying on internal teams.
For customer service, this translates into a significant reduction in calls and emails related to order tracking, freeing up time to focus on higher value requests. The company therefore benefits from greater operational efficiency, while customers enjoy a smoother, simpler and always accessible experience.
In hindsight, choosing a flexible ERP specialized for the manufacturing and agrifood sectors, supported by a responsive team, proved to be a structuring decision for the company. The project laid strong foundations for the future while respecting the operational and human reality of the organization. Fidelio has therefore become a key technology partner in the growth and modernization vision of Fromagerie La Chaudière.
Are you experiencing a similar situation and looking to structure your operations to support your growth? Contact us or book a free online demo to discover how Fidelio can adapt to your reality.