B.C. invests $2M to fuel growth in F&B manufacturing

The government of B.C. is contributing as much as $2.07 million through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, supporting three capital projects and one planning project, to help food and beverage manufacturers grow by upgrading equipment and facilities, while creating more than 125 new jobs.

“Helping homegrown manufacturing companies expand helps us grow a strong, sustainable economy in B.C. that everyone can benefit from,” said Brenda Bailey, B.C. minister of jobs, economic development and innovation. “Through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, we’re investing in innovative projects around the province that create stable jobs and stronger communities.”

In Surrey, Dr. Ma’s Laboratories, which manufactures more than 800 natural health products, will receive as much as $1.25 million to establish a second processing facility and complete facility upgrades. Upgrades will accommodate scaling up and automation of production to meet increasing demand. The food, supplement and vitamin manufacturer will also bring raw-ingredient processing in house as part of a capital project, which will triple production, enable it to prioritize local suppliers and create 75 new jobs.

“The program’s support allows our company to open a second manufacturing facility and add new in-house production capabilities,” said Jie Ma, president, Dr. Ma’s Laboratories. “The funding helps us create sustainable and quality jobs, right here in Surrey.”

In Pitt Meadows, When We Eat Manufacturing, which produces frozen snack foods for grocery store chains and is working to become a net-zero processing facility, is receiving as much as $623,000 to expand production, build and install new equipment. The upgrade will help scale up operations and minimize CO₂ emissions from production. This project will create 50 new jobs and set the stage to increase manufacturing capacity and diversify product offerings.

“With deep gratitude to the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, our project modernizes production in the food industry with in-house, state-of-the-art equipment and facility expansion,” said Jae Park, owner, When We Eat Manufacturing. “This strategic investment enhances efficiency, generates jobs, ensures food safety and drives our commitment to global innovation, contributing significantly to food-industry competitiveness and growth.”

Other food and beverage manufacturers receiving funds from the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund include:

• Pippin Point (Wynndel), a producer of juice, cider and reusable wooden boxes, which will receive as much as $176,610 to build a new production plant and buy machinery that will allow it to operate year-round, increase the manufacturing of reusable wooden boxes made from B.C. plywood and hire four full-time staff; and
• Soul Bite Food (Coquitlam), a plant-based food manufacturing and catering business that produces and distributes a line of vegan frozen dinners, will receive as much as $22,000 to complete planning activities for a future capital project that would help the company buy equipment to automate production, achieve economies of scale and create four jobs.

The BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund supports for-profit organizations to plan and launch shovel-ready, high-value industrial and manufacturing projects that bring direct benefits and stable, family-supporting jobs to communities, while driving clean and inclusive growth throughout the province.