The third generation family business Berger is part of the Palmarès des entreprises au féminin, in the large company category, for the third year in a row!

The flourishing history of the family business Berger is carried by the dream of an entrepreneur: Mrs. Huguette Théberge. In 1963, following in the footsteps of her family who owned peat bogs in Saint-Fabien, she founded Tourbières Berger with the help of her husband Alcide Berger. The family business, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, has been growing steadily since its founding in Saint-Modeste in the Lower St. Lawrence. In the beginning, the Berger family acted as a supplier of peat for large American distributors. In 1983, under the leadership of the second generation, the family launched its brand and integrated the functions of producer and distributor. Thus, under the impetus of Claudin and Régis Berger, the sons of the founders, the company was transformed, innovated and expanded. From now on, it cultivates peat and transforms part of it into horticultural mixes for greenhouse producers. Berger was the first producer in North America to introduce wood fiber in its horticultural mixes, which allowed greenhouse growers to reduce their production time. Today, Berger has 9 plants—including one in Manitoba, California and Texas—14 harvesting sites and nearly 900 employees. The company ships processed peat to nearly 20 countries. Over time and despite significant growth, the Berger family has maintained its founding values rooted in innovation and social responsibility. Since 2015, the third generation, consisting of Valérie and Mélissa Berger, daughters of Claudin Berger, has been co-president of Berger. With a view to ensuring continuous and responsible growth, the two women are bringing a new dynamism to the company. They are developing new markets and products that are adapted to the new needs of horticulturists. In 2020, the family-owned company inaugurated a research laboratory capable of reproducing different weather conditions, which helps Berger’s agronomists, microbiologists and soil specialists develop optimal mixtures adapted to various markets and to the specific needs of their customers. Since the two co-presidents joined the company, Berger’s sales have quadrupled! Congratulations to the two Berger sisters, both HEC Montréal graduates who, for the third year in a row, have been recognized in the “Palmarès des entreprises au féminin du Québec” (Top women-owned businesses in Quebec) in the large company category.

Read the news: ‘Valérie and Mélissa Berger Shine in the Large Company Category’

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