Kaven Davignon from Miels d’Anicet

Fitting the job profile

Kaven Davignon still remembers his first real encounter with bees. It was in 2022 and Anicet Desrochers and Anne-Virginie Schmidt had just approached him to become the general manager of Miels d’Anicet. More than 20 years after founding the company, the co-owners were looking to train their successor. Anne-Virginie had served on a board of directors with Kaven and saw him as a good candidate, given his background in urban planning and his extensive management experience. That’s how he ended up in the Upper Laurentians, getting to know a honey farm and, more importantly, its bees. Feeling the unique energy emanating from the hives, he knew this adventure was for him. “I got stung!” he exclaims. Three years later, the new owner of Miels d’Anicet has no regrets about his choice. “I feel at home in this buzzing world that changes with the seasons.” The original owners, who saw Kaven as someone who shared their values, clearly made the right choice when choosing him as a successor for the family business. 

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Understanding the profession

Kaven doesn’t think he could have taken over the business without first serving as general manager. “I had to put my shoulder to the wheel for a few years before I could become part of the family,” he explains. This transition period allowed Anicet and Anne-Virginie to pass on their knowledge to him. It should be noted that this isn’t a small agricultural business. “We have 1,200 beehives. In addition to producing our own honey, we’re the largest queen bee breeder in Canada. We breed around 16,000 a year, which we sell across the country,” says the new owner with obvious pride. Over the years, he learned to master all aspects of the business until he had the necessary expertise to take over.

→ Check out our article on managing the succession or transfer of your agricultural business

Surrounding yourself with the right people

When Kaven felt ready to take the plunge in early 2024, he contacted Jean-Philippe Ménard, an account manager at National Bank. Some 20 years earlier, the financial advisor had helped him with a sugar shack project. “He’d given me good advice and referred me to people at La Financière agricole du Québec and Farm Credit Canada. A relationship had been established, so I naturally turned to him,” explains the entrepreneur. Once again, he was able to benefit from the support of these organizations, in addition to the solutions proposed by Jean-Philippe, to finance the acquisition of the honey farm.

Kaven also decided to hire a sales director to assist him in his duties. And he can always count on the expertise of Anicet and Anne-Virginie, who remain involved in the company. Anicet retained his position as chief beekeeper and is a minority shareholder, while Anne-Virginie has continued in her role as brand ambassador. She also just published a book of honey-based recipes.

For Kaven, taking over an agricultural business with solid foundations was the best option. “I was looking for a challenge, but more in terms of growth and operations management. It was a way to get started in entrepreneurship while reducing the risks,” he says. In the meantime, he “fell in love” with the core mission of the business, which is the pride of its region: preserving the bees.