La Barberie was founded around the same time as the Quebec microbrewery industry was showing its first signs of longevity. All steps related to the brewing process, as well as the beer bottling, were done by hand as of 2002.

The work cooperative rapidly grew. The profits, reinvested in the facilities and equipment, as well as in the training of the staff, promptly yielded further favourable results.

These days, La Barberie employs around 30 people from the neighborhood and produces more than 2700 hectolitres of beer annually. Located in the east end of Saint-Roch, La Barberie plays certainly a role in the revitalisation of the area, while supporting the development of its social and economic sector, as well as being a driving force behind the cooperative movement and the growth of knowledge in the microbrewing process in Quebec.

La Barberie, as the very first microbrewing work cooperative in the province of Quebec, has a defined mission to produce and offer original and distinctive flavours, while promoting the democratisation of craft beer, and developing a sense of community.

We are also very much committed to local economic development: our sponsorships policies and our partnership choices reflect that same community spirit. We advocate for informed consumption and promote local production: drink less, but best! At La Barberie, our practices are based on ethical principles and environmental respect. As such, our microbrewery is constantly striving to limit its ecological footprint.

From its inception, La Barberie has grown from 3 to almost 30 employees, half of them being cooperative members. From diverse backgrounds, they are motivated by a shared passion: working collaboratively in an environment where their development, their interests, and fulfilling their potential are all ensured.

Everyone working at La Barberie can become a member and a gain a shared ownership stake in the company. Those members are then responsible for establishing the grand strategic plans; they occupy a role within the governing body and receive a share of the profits in the form of patronage returns.

The cooperative format ensures it is possible to offer advantageous working conditions to all workers, regardless of whether they are members or not. It also guarantees everyone the right to be heard in order to set objectives towards achieving the greater good.