It was a love affair that spurred Denis Mareuge and Agnès Castilloux to leave Montreal for Mansonville, a small mountain village with a population of 2,000. Here they settled and started up a bakery that they named Owl’s Bread, inspired by the nearby Mount Owl’s Head. They offer artisanal baked goods, pastries, and a high-end catering. They also feature a menu of sandwiches, paninis, soups, and salads for take-out.

The bakery’s co-owner, Mareuge, mentions how, “After having embarked on the adventure in Magog, we decided to focus our efforts to maintain and develop our activities in Mansonville where we succeeded in carving out a solid reputation. The business received a glowing review in the New York Times, which helped cement our reputation among our American neighbours.”

Their business relationship with the CAE Memphrémagog dates back to the very beginning of the bakery. As Mareuge recalls, “Agnes and I took out our first loan, which gave us a big boost to start the bakery. Since then, we’ve received 20 or so loans to help acquire buildings and equipment, or to cover renovations. At the CAE Memphrémagog, they don’t just look at the numbers; they also factor in the skills of the managers. What we appreciate most is how simple the process is and how flexible they are with loan repayment in case we encounter certain difficulties.”