Vantage Foods to open Ontario plant

Calgary, Alta. – Vantage Foods Inc. has announced that it will open a case-ready service centre in Belleville, Ont. The new facility will process fresh meat for the Eastern Canadian market, including 115 Food Basics stores in Ontario and Quebec.

“The Belleville Service Centre will be state-of-the-art, incorporating the most advanced food processing technology and a dedicated team of case-ready professionals to ensure production and distribution of fresh meats under superior food safety protocols,” says Doug Paddock, COO of Vantage Foods Canada.

Calgary-based Vantage Foods currently has meat processing facilities in Winnipeg, Man., Chilliwack, B.C., and Lenoir, N.C. The new 48,000-sq.-ft. centre will create 150 jobs initially, with future growth planned.

“Belleville provides an excellent food distribution point for supply within Ontario and cost-effective access to markets in Quebec and the Maritimes,” says Vantage president and CEO Gary Haley. “Both the province of Ontario and the city of Belleville have been very supportive of our efforts to establish a facility here. We are highly motivated to make the facility operational and we’re excited about building a future in eastern Ontario. That’s why we selected a 13-acre site that has room for expansion.”

The Belleville facility is scheduled to open in November 2011.