Our Story
From Military Service
to Master Cheesemaker
Patrick Dupuis spent 25 years serving Canada as a munitions and explosives expert at CFB Wainwright. Originally from Quebec, he carried with him a deep love for the artisan cheese traditions of his home province.
After retiring from the military in 2015, Patrick and his wife Josee turned that passion into The Old School Cheesery, founded in 2016. Patrick earned his cheese maker certificate from the University of Guelph and set out to bring authentic Quebec-style artisan cheese to rural Alberta.
In 2017, their daughter Valerie Roberts joined as head cheesemaker, a Lakeland College graduate who brought fresh energy and skill. Today, they produce roughly 400 kg of cheese per week, supplying approximately 45 grocery stores and restaurants across Alberta. They are one of only six certified craft cheese producers in the province.
In 2021, the Vermilion Community Development Co-operative invested approximately $500,000 to help relocate the cheesery to its current downtown location, a testament to how deeply the community believes in what the Dupuis family has built.