McCain Foods is committing $75 million for two Manitoba potato processing plants, including those in Carberry and Portage la Prairie.
A press release from the company says $45 million is earmarked for the Portage la Prairie facility for the purchase of a new high-efficiency potato sorting system, “cutting edge” processing and packaging equipment and new onsite waste water processing.
The release also says the facility’s heating and cooling equipment will be upgraded to improve the plant’s environmental footprint and multiple trucks will be able to unload at once.
The Carberry facility will receive $30 million for the installation of auto sampling equipment, a blanching system, improved heating and refrigeration systems for the whole facility and other upgrades.
“The investments further strengthen the company’s potato processing presence in Western Canada,” the release says.
Keystone Potato Producers Association president Chad Berry said it’s great news that McCain is working on their plants and implementing improvements to them.
The McCain Carberry plant was affected by the poor crop year and had to import some potatoes from Alberta. Berry said losses were further affected by strict McCain regulations over the colour of the potatoes it accepts.
Read the full story in the Brandon Sun.
