McCain Foods (Canada) announced last week that it will invest $80 million toward the creation of a new Formed Potato Specialty production line at its existing facility in Grand Falls, New Brunswick. 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 further strengthens the company’s potato processing presence.
An estimated 80 new full-time jobs will be added to the production line once the facility expansion is completed.
“This 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,” said Dale McCarthy, vice president of integrated supply chain for 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.
“Investing in the Grand Falls facility is a testament to the many successful partnerships McCain values with our local potato growers, employees and communities,” said Danielle Barran, president of McCain Foods Canada. “McCain is a proud, Canadian family-owned business, where we continue to strengthen and grow our businesses in New Brunswick to meet the growing consumer demand for McCain potato products.”
“Based on the Grand Falls facility expansion, there will be demand for an additional 3,000 acres of harvested potatoes by New Brunswick potato growers in order to supply the new high-speed Formed Potato Specialty line,” said McCarthy.
New Brunswick is a key potato-growing region in Canada, representing an estimated 15 percent of the total Canadian production and acreage. New Brunswick potato growers are experienced, and many have established business relationships with McCain Foods.
“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,” said 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.