Bles-Wold Yogurt:
thriving W on family farm culture BY ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH 14 Culinaire | September 2020
hen most of us reach for a yogurt – any brand of yogurt — we assume we’re making a healthy choice. Those probiotics are supposed to be good for you, after all. But not all yogurt is created equally (be sure to read your labels!) and Albertans may be pleased to know that some of the most wholesome yogurt on grocery store shelves is made right here in the land of beef and barley. Bles-Wold yogurt was launched by Hennie Bos and Tinie Eilers in 1996. After immigrating to Alberta from the Netherlands, the Bos-Eilers wanted
to make a yogurt product that would be suitable for their daughter, who was affected by Type 1 diabetes. They experienced success with local farmers’ markets and eventually Co-op stores, and after a rewarding run, were ready to retire in 2018. Not wanting to wipe out their yogurt legacy, the Bos-Eilers approached another family of DutchAlbertan dairy farmers about carrying on the Bles-Wold brand. Today, Bles-Wold is owned by the Beyer family, who have also operated Crystal Springs Cheese near Coalhurst, in Southern Alberta, since 2005.
