Wonderbrands Innovation Business Park to rise in Ontario

The City of Pickering and Province of Ontario recently completed the sale of 151 acres of provincial lands in Pickering’s Innovation Corridor to FGF Brands for the development of a high-tech, food manufacturing campus, which will be known as the Wonderbrands Innovation Business Park.

Additionally, the city council approved FGF Brands’ (Caplink) draft plan of subdivision application and zoning by-law amendment application to permit the food manufacturing campus. The first phase of development will consist of three manufacturing plants and a distribution centre, with an overall gross floor area of over 1 million sf and the creation of 1,000 new jobs, with another 2,000 jobs coming in the second phase. Once full build-out is complete, the business park will be the largest food manufacturing campus in the Greater Toronto Area, as well as one of the largest employers in Pickering.

FGF Brands is one of the largest producers of fresh breads, rolls, croissants, fully baked muffins, and sweet goods, in North America, and has become a global leader by replacing low tech equipment with robotics, integrated AI systems, machine learning, and supply chain innovations. Some of its brands include Wonder Bread, D’italiano, Country Harvest, Stonefire, ACE, and Casa Mendosa.

FGF Brands’ acquisition represents the largest transaction to date on the Seaton employment lands owned by Ontario through the infrastructure ministry. The Seaton employment lands is a dedicated area of more than 800 acres, ready to support the development and creation of high-tech industries and jobs. Infrastructure Ontario completed the transaction. The community of Seaton will eventually have a population of 70,000 residents, with approximately 35,000 jobs, offering a range of housing types, employment lands, and land densities.

“We are thankful for the support we have received from the City of Pickering, and share in the excitement to help build a next-generation, high-tech manufacturing campus in Pickering that will not only create jobs of the future for the community, but will also help bring another level of growth for the entire community,” said Ojus Ajmera, co-founder and head, sales and marketing, FGF Brands.