More About Grizzly
GRIZZLY
is devoted to producing and selling superior quality smoked fish crafted according to a time-honored method, and providing outstanding customer service.
Our objectives:
- Grow and promote our position as a leader in quality and personalized customer service in the smoked fish market
- Develop and promote the expansion of our product line into international markets
- Reinvest a significant amount of annual profits to continue improving products and production methods
- Promote and develop our corporate values among our employees
Background
August 1991 marked the beginning of the GRIZZLY adventure, as brother/sister team Pierre and Andrée Fontaine started up their company.
The demand for GRIZZLY products quickly grew, and with ever-greater visibility in the major grocery chains, in 1996 the two founders teamed up with Bernard Ruby, who became the company’s new vice president of sales.
In 2002, GRIZZLY fresh products made their debut in supermarket fish counters, and strong consumer demand for quality fresh fish products soon led the company to innovate. GRIZZLY became one of the first companies to introduce fresh smoked salmon in 60 g and 120 g packs.
GRIZZLY sales continued to grow steadily to the point that the company had to expand to keep up with demand for its products. 
On September 12, 2003, GRIZZLY opened its brand new, ultramodern 14,000 square foot plant in the Saint-Augustin Industrial Park near Quebec City. This initiative consolidated GRIZZLY’s position as a leader in Canada’s fish smoking industry.
October 2005 marked a change in Grizzly Smokehouse Inc.’s share ownership. A board of directors made up of Pierre Fontaine, Bernard Ruby, and René Bussières was formed to oversee development of the GRIZZLY brand.
In October 2006, GRIZZLY installed a customized automatic slicer designed to meet the specific needs of the company and its clientele. One month later, GRIZZLY launched its new product packaging. The new packs boast an innovative design while maintaining the authenticity and very essence of what has made the brand so successful.
In march 2007, Grizzly Smokehouse has made yet another innovation, purchasing a state-of-the art computerized production line. The line, the only one of its kind in North America, was designed in France to meet the specific needs of the company.
Today, R&D is still an important part of the company’s operations and priorities. GRIZZLY benefits from the research of a number of Canadian and European university institutions in the field of food preservation and safety. With a view to constantly improving its procedures, the GRIZZLY team is also working to upgrade some of its processing equipment to ensure the unique and distinctive nature of its products.
It is no surprise that GRIZZLY was the first Canadian smokehouse to export its products to the French market, and the first Quebec company of its kind to be listed with the European Economic Community (EEC).