Company Description – Dairy Fountain Inc., based in Mississauga, Ontario, began its journey in 2009 as a dairy wholesaler, operating primarily under private label agreements with other dairy processors. In 2018, the company marked a significant shift in its business model by acquiring a dairy processing plant with modern equipment, transitioning from a wholesaler to a producer. Over the years, Dairy Fountain has formed a strong bond with Ontario farmers, sourcing approximately 360,000 liters of milk per month, supporting mutual growth.  

Since 2019, Dairy Fountain has scaled rapidly, growing annual revenue from $1M to $14.7M (50%+ YoY) and expanding its team from 2 to 45+ employees. Its products are distributed nationwide through retailers, restaurants, wholesalers, and distributors, including Costco. A key differentiator is its expertise in cultured dairy products like Ayran, with its Elegant Ayran drinks widely available in ethnic stores and restaurants across Ontario. Dairy Fountain is Safe Quality Foods (SQF) certified and maintains a strong relationship with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), leveraging programs like Agri-Assurance to uphold quality standards. 

Project Description – Through a Digital Modernization Adoption Plan (DMAP), Dairy Fountain identified critical digital gaps in quality control, batch management, record-keeping, inventory tracking, reporting, infrastructure, and cybersecurity, all stemming from outdated technology and manual processes. With DCC’s support, Dairy Fountain is implementing an ERP solution to automate and integrate these functions, streamlining operations and improving real-time data analytics for compliance and growth.  

Project Impact & Expected Outcomes – As a result of DCC’s support, Dairy Fountain has significantly improved its operational efficiency, retaining and creating 9 jobs. By replacing its manual processes with real-time data access and automated reporting, the company projects a 40% reduction in operational costs, enhanced customer satisfaction through more accurate and timely service, and increased employee productivity by automating time-consuming tasks.  

While the full benefits of the digital modernization are to be realized, Dairy Fountain is currently in the process of acquiring Gay Lea Foods’ Hewitt’s Dairy which has a larger production capacity. The newly implemented ERP solution will allow the company to easily integrate and operationalize the processes digitally, ensuring a smooth acquisition and continued growth.