Poultry plant planned for New Brunswick

Clair, New Brunswick – Saint-François-de-Madawaska, N.B.-based Groupe Westco Inc., and St-Hyacinthe, Que.’s Olymel L.P. are asking the province’s permission to build a $40-million poultry processing plant in Clair, N.B.

The slaughter, cutting and deboning plant would be built and operated by Sunnymel L.P., a partnership formed between the two companies. Pending government approval of its construction and environmental impact plans, Sunnymel will begin construction of the facility this spring, with completion scheduled by spring 2012.

With a processing capacity of approximately 450,000 poultry each week, the company says the facility will be able to supply poultry to the entire Maritimes region from New Brunswick. The new plant will also add about $30 million to the local economy, and create 250 jobs.