McCain Foods (Canada) has officially opened its new $65M state-of-the-art potato specialty production line, expanding the company’s flagship potato processing facility in Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick.

The new 35,000 square foot McCain Foods potato specialty production line addition represents the largest capacity expansion investment in Canada in nearly 10 years.  According to a company news release, the investment is reflective of the continued growth of the North American frozen potato and potato specialty segments in both the retail and food service businesses.

“Florenceville continues to be the french fry capital of the world. The official opening of the new production line reflects McCain’s ongoing commitment to invest in the needs of our consumers and customers today, and also the company’s focus towards future product development and innovation,” said Jeff DeLapp, president, North America, McCain Foods Limited.

“During our 60^th year of business, investment in the Florenceville-Bristol facility is a testament to the importance the community holds as the birthplace of McCain Foods,” added DeLapp. “In addition to the more than 40 new jobs created, the construction build stimulated economic activity within the region, and an additional demand of 4,000 acres of potatoes is to be supplied to the facility by New Brunswick potato farmers.”

Since the company was founded in 1957, McCain’s leadership in the Canadian frozen potato market segment across all retail, food service and quick service restaurants (QSR) channels is undisputed. All of McCain’s potato products are made from 100 per cent real potatoes grown on farms close to their facilities, which are spread across the country in New Brunswick, Manitoba and Alberta.

For the past 60 years, McCain Foods has grown from its Florenceville, New Brunswick roots. With 30 employees and sales of $150,000 in its first year of business in 1957, the company has grown to become a global enterprise with more than 20,000 employees operating out of 53 production facilities on six continents with sales in excess of CDN $9 billion, while remaining Canadian headquartered and family-owned.

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