Our Story
Almost sixty years of family poultry farming in Bradford, Ontario.
Our Mission
Our mission was to stay true to the founding principles of the Cericola family: we listened carefully to our customers and gave them the wholesome, homegrown poultry products they wanted, delivered fast and fresh to market.
Our Heritage
While many of the large poultry producers of the time prided themselves on their agricultural and family heritages, few operated as genuine family farms like Cericola Farms. Our passion for farming and our personal commitment to deliver the most natural products - Organic chicken and Antibiotic Free chicken raised on an Animal by-product Free diet - for our customers were rooted in the values of founders Tony and Mary Cericola, and were continued by Mary and her sons, Anthony Cericola and Amedeo Cericola, who ran the business until its sale.
Tony arrived in Canada from Italy in the 1950s and worked in construction until he married Mary. Together, they purchased their own farm to pursue their dream in agriculture, selling fresh eggs and chickens door-to-door to Toronto markets. Cericola Farms sold its operations to Maple Leaf Foods in 2018 and 2021, marking the end of an era for our family-run enterprise.
Although Tony passed away, Mary and her sons preserved his vision, which saw our business grow exponentially. From those early days of door-to-door sales to serving large national retailers, the secret to Cericola's success was always the delivery of individualized services and products that only a family farm could provide. We strove to deliver the freshest products to the market as soon as possible.
It was quite simple really: we grew the products that our customers wanted, and we ensured maximum quality by raising wholesome poultry with only the best feed.
Our Timeline
Explore the key milestones in Cericola Farms’ journey from a family startup to a national poultry leader.
1959
Tony and Mary Cericola founded the farm and started door-to-door egg and chicken sales.
In 1959, Tony and Mary Cericola established Cericola Farms in Bradford, Ontario, beginning with humble door-to-door sales of fresh eggs and chickens in Toronto.
1970
Expansion to larger Toronto markets.
By 1970, Cericola Farms grew its reach, supplying poultry to larger markets across Toronto.
1979
New facility opened in Bradford.
In 1979, Cericola Farms opened a new facility in Bradford, enhancing production capacity.
1984
Launched Organic chicken line.
In 1984, Cericola Farms introduced its Organic chicken line, meeting growing consumer demand.
1991
Introduced Antibiotic-Free chicken.
By 1991, Cericola Farms launched Antibiotic-Free chicken, emphasizing natural quality.
In the same year Tony Cericola opened the Sure Fresh Foods plant on 4th Line in Bradford: a 10,000 square foot federally approved facility on a 300 acre site.
1999
Achieved Halal certification.
In 1999, Cericola Farms earned Halal certification, expanding its market reach.
The 4th Line plant was expanded to 30,000 square feet.
2005
Expanded to national distribution.
By 2005, Cericola Farms distributed poultry nationwide across Canada.
The Reagens Industrial Parkway plant opened on five acres, bringing 110,000 square feet of modern food processing into the group.
2010
Acquired the Avicomax abattoir in Drummondville, Quebec.
Cericola Farms already held a thirty per cent stake in Avicomax, and on 15 September 2010 acquired the remaining shares from the four other shareholders, including founders Alain and Bruno Ducharme. The ten acre site was one of only twelve federally inspected poultry abattoirs in Quebec.
The plant employed around 150 people, and weekly throughput had grown from 50,000 birds to more than 200,000 in a few years. It supplied Maxi, Loblaws and Swiss Chalet.
Source: “Nouveau propriétaire pour l’abattoir Avicomax”, La Presse, 27 October 2010
2018
Bradford and Drummondville plants sold to Maple Leaf Foods.
On 28 June 2018, Maple Leaf Foods agreed to buy the Bradford (Reagens) plant and the Drummondville, Quebec plant, which together processed about 32 million kilograms of chicken a year. Maple Leaf also took the whole processed volume of the Schomberg plant under contract, with an option to buy it in three years.
2021
Schomberg plant sold to Maple Leaf Foods, completing the sale.
On 25 June 2021, Maple Leaf Foods completed the purchase of the Schomberg (4th Line) plant, the company's primary processing plant and the last of the three. Sixty-two years after the first door-to-door sales, the business passed out of the family's hands.
Our Legacy
Cericola Farms left a lasting legacy through its dedication to quality poultry products, services, and facilities across Ontario and Quebec. Explore the highlights of our contributions:
Legacy Products
Our Organic, Antibiotic-Free, and Halal chicken was raised according to all guidelines, delivering wholesome options for families and raw pet food markets.
See the productsLegacy Services
We provided primary processing and further processing service of Conventional and Specialty Poultry products, ensuring fresh, fast delivery from our Legacy facilities to markets across Canada.
See the servicesOur Facilities
Schomberg (4th Line)
Primary processing plant
3855 4th Line, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario L3Z 2A4
The primary poultry processing plant, known as the Schomberg plant. Sold to Maple Leaf Foods on 25 June 2021, the last of the three.
Opened in 1991 by Tony Cericola as a 10,000 square foot federally approved facility on a 300 acre site, and expanded to 30,000 square feet in 1999. In the 2018 sale Maple Leaf Foods took the plant's whole processed volume under contract with an option to buy it in three years, and completed the purchase on 25 June 2021.
Formerly Sure Fresh Foods Inc. — surefreshfoods.com, surefreshfoods.ca
Bradford (Reagens)
Secondary facility
65 Reagens Industrial Pkwy, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario L3Z 2B7
State-of-the-art specialty poultry packaging and further processing production.
Opened in 2005 on five acres as a 110,000 square foot food processing facility, built to a modern, state-of-the-art specification. Sold to Maple Leaf Foods in 2018, together with Drummondville.
Formerly Cericola Farms Inc. — cericolafarms.com, cericolafarms.ca
Drummondville
Quebec facility
500 Rue Labonte, Drummondville, Quebec J2C 6X9
A key facility for primary poultry processing in Quebec.
A ten acre site, and one of only twelve federally inspected poultry abattoirs in Quebec, with Canadian Food Inspection Agency staff on site full time and HACCP accreditation. Cericola Farms held a thirty per cent stake in Avicomax before acquiring the remaining shares on 15 September 2010, buying out the four other shareholders including founders Alain and Bruno Ducharme. The plant then employed around 150 people, and weekly throughput had grown from 50,000 birds to more than 200,000 in the space of a few years - growth the company attributed to halal certification. It supplied Maxi, Loblaws and Swiss Chalet. Sold to Maple Leaf Foods in 2018, together with the Bradford plant.
Source: “Nouveau proprietaire pour l'abattoir Avicomax”, La Presse, 27 October 2010
Formerly Avicomax — avicomax.com
Our Recipes & Inspiration
At Cericola Farms, our chickens were the heart of many family meals. One favourite was Mary's Herb-Roasted Chicken: seasoned with fresh rosemary and thyme, roasted to perfection to bring out the natural flavour of our air-chilled, grain-fed poultry. It's a recipe that captures the simplicity and care we put into every bird.
"A taste of home, straight from the farm."
Discover More RecipesOur Awards
2018 - Nottawasaga Futures - South Simcoe Business Excellence Awards
The South Simcoe Business Excellence awarded Cericola Farms Inc. (founded by Tony and Mary Cericola, and continued along with second-generation sons Anthony Cericola and Amedeo Cericola) the Agricultural Category Award, which recognized excellence, outstanding achievement, and customer satisfaction. Read more in our Blog Post.
Our Community
We were proud to support our local community through events and initiatives that made a difference. Here are some of the organizations and events we championed:
Canadian Cancer Society
Supporting cancer research and care, inspired by our family's experiences in Ontario.
Helping Hand Bradford Food Bank
Annual food drives in Bradford with staff and supplier participation to support local families.
Bradford Carrot Fest
Celebrating Bradford's agricultural roots with this annual community festival.
Holland Marsh Soup Fest
A local event in the Holland Marsh area showcasing regional flavours and community spirit.
