Potatoes in Canada

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McCain Foods commits $80 million for production expansion in Grand Falls, N.B.

November 8, 2019  By Potatoes in Canada


McCain Foods Canada will invest $80 million towards the creation of a new formed potato specialty production line at its existing Grand Falls, N.B., facility.

The production expansion and creation of the new high-speed formed potato specialty line enables McCain to meet the growing customer demand for the fast-growing market segment and also further strengthens the company’s potato processing presence in Canada.

An estimated 80 new full-time jobs will be added to the production line once the facility expansion is completed.

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“Today’s investment announcement at our Grand Falls facility reflects McCain’s commitment to the potato business in New Brunswick and to the people that live and work in the Grand Falls community,” declared Dale McCarthy, vice president of integrated supply chain, McCain Foods North America.

The new production line will be operational by early 2021 and will feature advanced technology for process efficiency as well as state-of-the-art food safety, processing and packaging equipment.

“Based on the Grand Falls facility expansion, there will be demand for an additional 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of harvested potatoes by New Brunswick potato growers in order to supply the new high-speed formed potato specialty line,” McCarthy added.

“[T]here will be demand for an additional 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of harvested potatoes by New Brunswick potato growers in order to supply the new high-speed formed potato specialty line.”

New Brunswick is a key potato-growing region in Canada, representing an estimated 15 per cent of the total Canadian production and acreage. New Brunswick potato growers are experienced, and many have established business relationships with McCain Foods.

In September 2019, McCain Foods announced plans to invest an additional $12-million in its potato processing facility in Florenceville, N.B., known for being the french fry capital of the world.

“With today’s announcement, both the Grand Falls facility and the recent Florenceville expansion will provide McCain Foods with two of the largest formed specialty lines in the industry,” concluded McCarthy.

With few exceptions, McCain’s potato products are made from local potatoes grown on farms close to their facilities, which are spread across Canada in New Brunswick, Manitoba, and Alberta.


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