Liberté cream cheese disappears from shelves after 85 years

I’ve been working here for 40 years and Liberty Cream Cheese has always been here for as long as I can rememberResponded Saul Restrepo, manager of St-Viateur Bagel, one of Montreal’s two most famous bakeries, which serves the ring-shaped bun with its rival on Fairmount Street.

On its website, Liberte said without further explanation This product has been discontinued because Liberty is no longer able to provide the high quality product and value consumers expect.

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Liberte has been producing cream cheese since 1936. | Photo: Freedom

Like the bagel, Liberté cream cheese originated in Montreal from Jewish immigrant communities in Eastern Europe.

It was one of the first products sold by the company, founded in Montreal in 1936 by the Kaporovskys, a Russian Jewish family.

It was the Statue of Liberty that inspired the Kaporowskis when it came time to name their dairy, first Liberty Dairy Products, then Liberty.

Liberté has diversified its offering, in particular, with all kinds of yogurts. The company was acquired by Yoplait in 2010, after which multinational General Mills took control last December.

A great mourning

Montrealer Kat Romano, who writes a blog specializing in Jewish culinary history, was one of those who suggested that Liberté cream cheese had become unobtainable. Dedicated the text as a final tribute to her(new window).

” Today we have lost a product with significant ties to Montreal’s Jewish culinary culture, which will be sorely missed. »

Many internet users shared their disappointment on social networks after the news announcement.

What would our smoked salmon bagels be without their Liberte Cream Cheese?said a Twitter user.

All mourning…Another user responded. My Sunday lunches will never be the same again!

With information from Sarah Leavitt, CBC