A long-standing family business in the Hagersville Ontario area will soon be under new management.
Hewitt’s Dairy announced this week that it is selling its facilities and product line to Gay Lea Foods Co-operative of Mississauga. The sale is effective Nov. 1.
“With this acquisition, we continue the Ontario tradition of the family farm,” Paul Vickers, chair of Gay Lea Foods, said in a news release Wednesday. “Hewitt’s Dairy, like our milk co-operative, began with a farmer providing fresh milk to local families and expanded its dedication to rural communities over the course of many years.”
The sale ends 127 years of Hewitt family ownership. The dairy was founded in 1887 and today has 65 employees. Products bearing the Hewitt name include pasteurized milk, cream, cultured beverages, yogurt, sour cream, ice cream, goat’s milk and organic chevre. The Hewitt brand is a long-standing presence in many supermarkets and convenience stores in south-central Ontario.
Hewitt’s also operates a landmark dairy bar on Highway 6 north of Hagersville. The selection there includes more than 100 flavours of ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and goat’s milk ice cream.
“Hewitt’s Dairy and Gay Lea Foods have two strong and rich histories in the province of Ontario,” says Hewitt’s owner and president Marie Hewitt. “I know Gay Lea Foods is committed to the dream our family created, to our loyal employees, to our valued customers, to our quality dairy goat producers and to the community in which we live.”
Gay Lea Foods was founded in 1958. With 1,200 producers and 835 employees, it is Ontario’s largest dairy co-operative. Sales in 2013 topped $560 million.
Gay Lea has seven production facilities across Ontario. Brand names include Gay Lea, Nordica, Ivanhoe and Salerno. Gay Lea has numerous customers at the retail, food service and industrial ingredients level.
In a news release, Michael Barrett, president and CEO of Gay Lea, says Hewitt’s Dairy is attractive because it is a good fit with Gay Lea’s current operation.
“This acquisition will expand Gay Lea’s presence in the Ontario dairy marketplace and increase the diversity of our basket of goods,” Barrett said. “We look forward to new opportunities as we welcome such a well-respected brand to our co-operative.”
Barrett emphasized that Gay Lea intends to keep the Hewitt name front and centre in Hagersville and on its current product line.
“As a former history teacher, I’m not about to destroy 127 years of family and community history,” Barrett said in an interview. “The name will not change on the building. The Hewitt brand is very strong and we’re happy to add it to the Gay Lea family. The same employees who show up to work October 31st will be the same employees who show up November 1.”
Hewitt’s was established by James Hewitt. Hewitt began delivering milk in Hagersville in a horse-drawn wagon. Customers would gather at the rear of the wagon as Hewitt filled their pitchers from milk cans.
The first customers had their choice of night milk or morning milk. The night milk was different because the cream had already risen to the top.
Milk was processed at the Hewitt family farm until 1950. It was at this time that the family sold its herd and established a plant at its current location at 128 King Street East in Hagersville.
The original plant was modernized in 1980. Major renovations and expansions took place in 1991 and 1992 to accommodate a larger refrigeration area, more office space, an expanded warehouse and a glass-bottle filling operation.
