Maple Leaf Foods closing Brantford plant, production to be consolidated

Maple Leaf Foods has announced that it will be closing its Brantford, Ont. plant and will consolidate the majority of its further processed poultry (FPP) into its existing plant network by early 2025.

The decision stems from the 100-year-old facility likely requiring significant ongoing investment to continue long-term operations, the company stated.

“The decision to close any plant is one that we take very seriously,” stated Curtis Frank, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods. “We are very proud of our team at Brantford and appreciate the great work they do each and every day.”

The company stated that the closure of the Brantford plant will be done in a phased manner to maintain business continuity and meet customer demand; and it will work with affected employees to provide support and assistance through the transition, including supporting other opportunities at other Maple Leaf Foods facilities. The company did not state how many employees will potentially be affected by the closure.

“Consolidating production into our current network allows us to reallocate our resources and increase our efficiencies by further optimizing the existing, more modern facilities in our network,” Frank stated. “This supports our vision to be the most sustainable protein company on Earth and our commitment to produce world-class products safely and efficiently as we support the growth of our protein business.”

Maple Leaf Foods stated that it would work with the community of Brantford to seek alternate uses for the property.

Source: Maple Leaf Foods.