The golden pencil award
The Food Industry Association of Canada
Congratulates the Honorees for the
2020 Golden Pencil Awards
Margaret Hudson
President of Burnbrae Farms Limited
As the President of Burnbrae Farms, Margaret Hudson worked her way up through a variety of Burnbrae divisions in the family owned and operated business. The youngest daughter of company Chairman and Golden Pencil recipient, Joe Hudson, Margaret has worked for the family firm full-time since 1990. Burnbrae Farms is recognized as an industry leader with egg grading, processing, and farming operations in five provinces across Canada. Margaret is part of the 4th generation of the Hudson family to work in the business, which has been in the family since it was founded in 1891 by Margaret’s great grandfather.
Margaret grew up in the village of Lyn, Ontario and began her career at the age of 12 picking eggs part-time on their family farm, and the energy and passion of her youth has unquestionably manifested itself in her business persona today. Over the course of her career, Margaret led the development and launch of several new products that transformed the egg category. Over the years, the company has received 13 Grand Prix New Product Awards and over 20 nominations. To Read Further
President of Burnbrae Farms Limited
As the President of Burnbrae Farms, Margaret Hudson worked her way up through a variety of Burnbrae divisions in the family owned and operated business. The youngest daughter of company Chairman and Golden Pencil recipient, Joe Hudson, Margaret has worked for the family firm full-time since 1990. Burnbrae Farms is recognized as an industry leader with egg grading, processing, and farming operations in five provinces across Canada. Margaret is part of the 4th generation of the Hudson family to work in the business, which has been in the family since it was founded in 1891 by Margaret’s great grandfather.
Margaret grew up in the village of Lyn, Ontario and began her career at the age of 12 picking eggs part-time on their family farm, and the energy and passion of her youth has unquestionably manifested itself in her business persona today. Over the course of her career, Margaret led the development and launch of several new products that transformed the egg category. Over the years, the company has received 13 Grand Prix New Product Awards and over 20 nominations. To Read Further
Jean Louis Bellemare
President and General Manager of Farm Boy Company Inc.
Jean-Louis Bellemare is Partner, President and General Manager of Farm Boy, a company he and his wife Collette founded in their home town of Cornwall in 1981. What began as a modest 300 sq. ft. store selling only fresh produce, quickly expanded to a larger 5,000 sq. ft. space in a matter of three short years. With the same principles used in opening their produce market, they started to introduce, one department at a time, the dairy, deli, cheese and meat departments to create the fresh market shopping experience that Farm Boy customers have enjoyed for the past 39 years.
After the first three years, that success in turn provided the opportunity for Jean-Louis’ brother Normand to join as a partner and then ten years later their brother Daniel also became a partner in the business. Together, they led the expansion into Ottawa and opened eight new stores between 1992 and 2007. To Read Further
President and General Manager of Farm Boy Company Inc.
Jean-Louis Bellemare is Partner, President and General Manager of Farm Boy, a company he and his wife Collette founded in their home town of Cornwall in 1981. What began as a modest 300 sq. ft. store selling only fresh produce, quickly expanded to a larger 5,000 sq. ft. space in a matter of three short years. With the same principles used in opening their produce market, they started to introduce, one department at a time, the dairy, deli, cheese and meat departments to create the fresh market shopping experience that Farm Boy customers have enjoyed for the past 39 years.
After the first three years, that success in turn provided the opportunity for Jean-Louis’ brother Normand to join as a partner and then ten years later their brother Daniel also became a partner in the business. Together, they led the expansion into Ottawa and opened eight new stores between 1992 and 2007. To Read Further
Jeff York
Partner and Special Advisor to Farm Boy and Empire
Jeffrey York is Partner and Special Advisor to Farm Boy and its parent company Empire. Jeff was born and raised in Ottawa. He received an honours degree in Economics from Princeton University and achieved his Chartered Accountant Designation. His first foray into retail was in 1989 when he joined Giant Tiger Stores, where after a number of years in operational and management roles, became President. Jeff helped grow the business from a regional discount chain with $250 million in sales, to $1.4 billion in sales nationally. where he held progressively senior operational and management roles over his 20 year career with the company, including 10 years as President and Chief Operating Officer.
In 2009, Jeff joined Farm Boy with a mandate to expand the business and deliver the best fresh food experience every day. Under his leadership, the company has grown from a nine store chain in the Ottawa region to now 31 stores across Ontario, with further expansion plans underway. As well as being a Partner, Jeff is a Special Advisor to Farm Boy and Empire, the parent company of Farm Boy. To Read Further
Partner and Special Advisor to Farm Boy and Empire
Jeffrey York is Partner and Special Advisor to Farm Boy and its parent company Empire. Jeff was born and raised in Ottawa. He received an honours degree in Economics from Princeton University and achieved his Chartered Accountant Designation. His first foray into retail was in 1989 when he joined Giant Tiger Stores, where after a number of years in operational and management roles, became President. Jeff helped grow the business from a regional discount chain with $250 million in sales, to $1.4 billion in sales nationally. where he held progressively senior operational and management roles over his 20 year career with the company, including 10 years as President and Chief Operating Officer.
In 2009, Jeff joined Farm Boy with a mandate to expand the business and deliver the best fresh food experience every day. Under his leadership, the company has grown from a nine store chain in the Ottawa region to now 31 stores across Ontario, with further expansion plans underway. As well as being a Partner, Jeff is a Special Advisor to Farm Boy and Empire, the parent company of Farm Boy. To Read Further
