Maple Leaf Foods (MLF) is spending $28 million to transitioning the company’s Edmonton poultry processing plant to a “world-class controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS) technology facility.” The company plans to convert is transportation, receiving and holding area and handling systems to optimize rest time and create a climate-controlled environment as it implements the CAS technology, the… Read more »
Category: Food Processing
Two buyers for every lamb: challenges and opportunities in the sheep industry
Canada imports more than half the lamb it consumes, which spells opportunity for our sheep farmers, but that opportunity isn’t the easiest to capitalize on. In the interview below, Marc Carere, vice chair of Ontario Sheep Farmers, talks to Shaun Haney about the tremendous amount of potential — but also incredible challenges —of this still-maturing… Read more »
Walmart Foundation grant to fund Canadian project to reduce food waste
The Canadian Centre for Food Integrity has received a grant of over US$520,000 from the Walmart Foundation to fund research into Canadian attitudes on food waste. The funding will also be used to assist food and beverage businesses make changes to achieve measurable food waste reductions. It’s estimated that 18% of Canada’s food waste happens… Read more »
Big trade surplus, at-home buys, & online sales: Grier talks groceries
The latest Grocery Trade Report tells the story of more sales to the U.S., Canadians choosing to cook at home, and a (perhaps surprisingly) small shift to online food sales. Kevin Grier, with KG Market Analysis and Consulting, says that 2017 was a pretty strong year for the grocery industry in Canada. Of note, packaged… Read more »
PepsiCo announces closure of Bow Island Spitz plant
Two years after the closure of its Medicine Hat distribution facility, PepsiCo has announced it will close the Spitz International Inc facility at Bow Island. PepsiCo first acquired the Alberta-based company ten years ago. The food and beverage giant sent this statement to RealAgriculture, February 16: “Yesterday we announced our difficult decision to close our… Read more »
Intercropping a must for new camelina contracts
Interested in growing camelina for Three Farmers? Get ready to intercrop. Three Farmers, a Saskatchewan-based snack food company, is offering, for the first time, production contracts for camelina, an oilseed crop. A stipulation of the contract is that camelina be grown in tandem with either pea or lentil. Likely the first-of-its-kind stipulation in a crop… Read more »
Dealing with the global milk protein glut
In the dairy food value chain processors play an integral role in product development. Dairy product development puts dairy components in protein bars, protein powder, ice cream, yogurt and baby formula. to name just a few. At Farm Journal’s MILK Business Conference, attendees heard from Micheal Dykes, President and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association…. Read more »
Cheerios sold in Canada to lose “gluten-free” label claim
General Mills is voluntarily phasing out the words “gluten-free” from Cheerios packages sold in Canada. The announcement came, according to the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA), in a letter addressed to a Canadian consumer who had filed a complaint against the product. In response to our own email, General Mills Canada said the company will remove… Read more »
Gay Lea Foods heads further west with acquisition of Alberta Cheese
Ontario-based Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Limited announced it’s agreement to acquire the shares of Alberta Cheese Company Ltd. this week, effective October 13, 2017. Alberta Cheese was founded in 1976 by Frank Talarico, and remained in the family name for fourty years. “Today’s announcement represents an exciting next chapter for Alberta Cheese, as my family’s… Read more »
Big plans for Ontario hazelnuts
Both the federal and Ontario governments are betting on the future of the province’s fledgling hazelnut industry. Last week, both levels of government announced support for the industry, which plans to have 25,000 acres of hazelnut trees in the province by 2027. Ontario Hazelnut Association project coordinator Andrew Nixon notes that the Ontario industry traces… Read more »
A new approach: Turning to consumers for production advice
No one has to tell University of Guelph agricultural economics master’s student Travis Jansen that farmers like him are well-advised to listen to consumers. But he’s doing more than just listening to them – he’s set to learn from them, too. Jansen, who comes from a family hog farm near Seaforth, knows successful farmers have… Read more »
Building Canadian food and farming attitudes from the ground up
What’s the value of public opinion? That’s a question I find myself asking more often these days. In a democracy, public opinion should matter and politicians and policy makers should have a strong understanding of the people’s will when making public policy. But should they give the people what they want? Today we have no… Read more »
Richardson acquires European Oat Millers
Richardson International is expanding its oat milling business and its presence in Europe. The Winnipeg-based company says it has acquired European Oat Millers, as of June 15, 2017. Headquartered in Bedford, England, European Oat Millers is the second largest oat miller in Europe, according to Richardson, producing a wide range of oat products that are… Read more »
Five reasons you should complete the national food policy survey
Producers need to make their voices heard now, as Ottawa proceeds with public consultations about the first-of-its-kind national food policy. Ottawa says a food policy is a way to address issues related to the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food. It says such a policy “will set a long-term vision for the health, environmental,… Read more »
Details to be determined on national food policy, says Ag Minister MacAulay
The federal government is moving toward establishing a national food policy that will revolve around four “pillars,” but details on what it will look like beyond that have yet to be determined, according to Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay. The minister launched consultations, including an online survey, on establishing a national food policy in a speech… Read more »