Manitoba food processor launches $37M plant expansion with support from feds, province

BLUMENORT, Man.—A poultry processing company on the outskirts of Winnipeg is launching is a $37 million plant expansion with support from the federal and provincial government.

Located in the town of Blumenort, Granny’s Poultry is one of the largest food processors in Manitoba, employing approximately 500 workers and shipping chicken and turkey across the country.

“The expansion and upgrading of our processing facilities will keep Granny’s growing and competitive for years to come,” Craig Evans, the company’s CEO, said. “Investing in state-of-the-art equipment will improve production efficiencies and help us develop new market opportunities for Manitoba poultry.”

A producer-owned business, Granny’s Poultry is made up of 188 member-owners who supply the company with hatching eggs, chickens and turkeys. With the investment in equipment for processing, chilling, packaging and grading poultry, the company expects to add up to 148 employees. With a population of approximately 1,000 people, the company is a major employer in Blumenort and the surrounding communities.

The government of Canada, as well as the Manitoba government will contribute $2.5 million to the project.

“This investment will go a long way to grow food processing and the poultry sector here in Manitoba,” Ron Kostyshyn, the province’s Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Minister, said. “Strategic investments provide good jobs, and position local companies for long-term success.”