From the Smoky Lake Signal, August 3, 1988

Food Plants Coming

Two new food processing plants are in the works in the Smoky Lake Redwater region. One is Holgerson Dairies Inc., an enterprise of the Holgerson family of Warspite and Smoky Lake. The other is Redwater Meat Packers Ltd, a plant acquired two years ago by Armin Huber and Richard von den Allmen, two butchers of Swiss origin.

The Holgerson's dairy in Smoky Lake's new industrial subdivision will in all probability get into production in three to four weeks.

The installation of a multitude of stainless steel equipment by Stan Lee of Genco Marchinery Ltd, of Calgary, is nearing completion. Some electrical, refrigeration and steamfitting work remains to be done as well. During it's star-up phase the plant is expected to produce 1,000 litres of milk a day. When in full production the plant will turn out 30,000 litres of milk a day.

The new Smoky Lake based dairy will ultimately produce and sell a full line of dairy products under the Horizon Dairy Products label. The label, incidentally, features the word Horizon in large letters, a rainbow and the valley of Smoky Lake. The entire label is held in warm yellow-brown tones.

Mile for the plant will likely be allocated by the Alberta Dairy Control Board to district producers. This would mean a substantial saving in freight costs for these producers.

The dairy's markets will be in Edmonton and northeastern Alberta. When the plant is in full production, likely in about six months form now, it will provide employment for six local people not counting the Holgerson family, Gerry, Judy and Tim.

One of the plant's outstanding features will be light-weight, non-returnable plastic bottles. The bottles will be made in the plant.

When completed Holgerson Dairies Inc. will represent $1 million in new capital investments for the town of Smoky Lake. The community was very interested in getting the plant. More than once did it rally around the Holgersons when they had to overcome problems with regulatory and financial agencies. Capital for the undertaking was drawn from the Federal Business Development Bank, from the Western Economic Diversifications Program, from Alberta Treasury Branches, and from shareholders, including the Holgerson family.

From the Smoky Lake Signal, August 25, 1993. Used with permission.

Holgerson Dairies Inc. Introduces Full Line

By the end of this week Holgerson Dairies Inc. will have a full line of dairy products, fruit juices and fruit drinks. This marks a milestone for the company which opened its plant doors five years ago with the processing of milk only for consumer markets in northeastern Alberta and Edmonton district.

As of the end of this week Holgerson Dairies will produce a complete line of milk and cream products, butter, cottage cheeses, sour cream, yogurts, ice creams, juices and fruit drinks. This makes the Smoky Lake-based dairy the only fully integrated, Alberta-controlled diary. All other dairies serving Alberta markets are controlled by out of the province interests. 

The company's chief executive officer, Gerry Holgerson, who started in the county of Smoky Lake in the mid-seventies as a dairy farmer together with his wife Judy, always had a full-line dairy as his objective. To this end he had to overcome government bureaucratic meddling and unfair practices by the competition. In a physical sense had to double the plant size, bump capital expenditures to $2.5 million, and increase employment from about 25 to 45.

This, incidentally, makes Holgersen Dairies the largest  private sector year-round employer in Smoky lake and district. Holgerson also had to increase the number of milk suppliers form a handful to 14. An additional two suppliers will have to be added before long, Mr. Holgerson added.

The company's market share has also grown. Holgerson Dairies is supplying markets as far south as Hanna and some thought is being given to supplying dairy products with the Horizon logo to southern Alberta as well.

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