Maple Leaf Foods is planning to close its poultry processing plant in Brantford in early 2025.
The company made the announcement Wednesday, May 22, 2024, saying that the 100-year-old facility would need “significant ongoing investment to continue long-term operations.”
“The decision to close any plant is one that we take very seriously,” Curtis Frank, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods, wrote in a press release. “We are very proud of our team at Brantford and appreciate the great work they do each and every day.”
According to its website, the closure will be completed in phases to maintain business continuity and meet customer demands.
The Canning Street facility has a long history in Brantford. It was originally built in 1899 and then redeveloped following a fire in the early 1940s.
The plant currently produces about 9.4 million kilograms of poultry products per year, including turkey, chicken wings and chicken tenders.
The company says it will work with the 156 Brantford employees affected by the closure to “provide support and assistance through this transition.”
This includes supporting other opportunities within the Maple Leaf Foods organization.
Kevin Davis, Mayor for the City of Brantford, said time will tell what the future for the property will look like.
“Company officials told us that it’s just not physically possible to upgrade this plant to modern operating standards,” Davis said in an interview with CHCH News. “They also told us that they own property and they would like to see the property repurposed for some other use. I assume they’ll probably want to sell it. This is a great location.”
