Feb 3, 2025
MISSISSAUGA, ON, February 3, 2024 – Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Limited (“Gay Lea Foods”) held its 66th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of shareholders in Toronto, Ontario, on January 30, 2025, marking a year of achievement and significant progress toward its strategic growth and community investment goals.
Following years of rapid expansion, the co-operative reported strong financial results in fiscal 2024, a year strategically earmarked for strengthening the foundation of the Canadian dairy farmer-owned business to support its future growth ambitions.
“Our strategy builds on the history and success of Gay Lea Foods and sets out to reshape our business and culture to match our new size, empower our people to lead and thrive, and set our co-operative up for long-term, sustainable growth in the Canadian dairy industry,” chair Rob Goodwill said in his speech to more than 160 attending shareholders, producer members, and industry partners in the meeting’s open session.
President and CEO Suzanna Dalrymple spoke about how the co-operative is boosting profitability while furthering its commitment to enriching communities co-operatively.
“We’re focused on producing high-quality, nutritious food for Canadians, driving sustained, industry-leading, profitable growth for our co-operative, and using our strength and influence to enrich the communities around us,” she said in her address to those present or participating via the meeting live stream.
“This is how we stay true to our co-operative roots” she added, highlighting Gay Lea Foods’ efforts to drive member value and engagement, empower employees, increase the co-operative’s charitable community investment, and reduce its impact on the environment.
Results of the board election, which was held in an earlier members-only session, were announced in the open session, following confirmation of the board, management, and auditor’s reports.
Andrew Henderson, a sixth-generation dairy farmer from Spencerville, Ontario, who was first elected to the Gay Lea Foods board of directors in January 2019 and served as vice chair in 2024, was elected by the delegate body to serve a third consecutive three-year term as a director at large.
Joel Stam, a first-generation dairy farmer from Norwich, Ontario, who has served as a delegate to the co-operative since 2018, was also elected to a three-year term as director at large.
Joel takes the at large director position vacated by long-time director and former executive member Marie McNabb, who retired after 12 years on the Gay Lea Foods board. Marie was honoured in a special tribute at the AGM and spoke about how much she values the opportunities she was given and connections she formed during her time as both a delegate and director to Gay Lea Foods.
“Our co-operative was formed by Canadian farmers who had common vision to build a better future for themselves and their communities,” she said in her address. “We are a Canadian success story.”
Executive committee elections took place in a private board meeting following the AGM, where Chair Rob Goodwill, Vice Chair Andrew Henderson, and Executive Member DeeDee Bekkers were all acclaimed to subsequent one-year terms on the Gay Lea Foods executive committee.
“On behalf of the Gay Lea Foods board of directors, we thank our members and shareholders for the opportunity to serve and guide our co-operative into the future,” Goodwill said.
The co-operative’s 2025 AGM will be held on January 27, 2026.
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