Louis-Philippe Nadeau

New Brunswick

Louis-Philippe Nadeau contributed greatly to developing the New Brunswick poultry industry.

A native of Saint Francois-de-Madawaska, at the age of 15 he purchased his first 400 chicks and began his career in agriculture as a producer, processor and retailer.

From his cedar block henhouse producing 150 chickens per week for two clients in 1945, he had expanded to 10 leased buildings and his slaughterhouse by 1953.

His first large-scale poultry facility was built in 1956 and in eight years output grew from 350 chickens per week to 5,000. Nadeau Poultry Farm Ltd. was incorporated in 1960.

In 1965 the present slaughterhouse was constructed. Continual modernization of the facilities enabled production to climb from 2,300 chickens per hour in 1971 to 4,000 in 1984. By 1954, almost 4 million birds or 50% of provincial production came through this facility.

Louis-Philippe Nadeau also became involved in the swine industry in 1975. ln 1979 he formed Nadeau Feeds Ltd. and built a grist mill in 1981. With close to 200 employees, he supplied feed to 2,100 sows and 30,000 feeder pigs, he had 56 henhouses and 25 piggeries and was producing 38,000 tonnes of feed per year. His sales soared from $1 million in 1970 to $35 million in 1984. In the mid-80's he sold the poultry-rearing division to concentrate on slaughtering, processing, and marketing. After selling Nadeau Feeds Ltd. and Nadeau Poultry Farm Ltd. in 1989, L.P. Nadeau took a well-deserved retirement. Mr. Nadeau was named entrepreneur of the year by the N.B. Economic Council in 1984.

Mr. Nadeau is married to Nora Pelletier. They have seven children.

Nominated by the New Brunswick Chicken Marketing Board, Louis-Philippe Nadeau is a deserving candidate for induction into the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame.