May 16, 2011

 

Eden Valley's transaction of Larsen plant is completed

 

Eden Valley Poultry Ltd. has concluded the sale of the Larsen meat-processing plant in Berwick.

 

Eden Valley spokesman Ian Blenkharn said the deal to buy the former Maple Leaf Foods-owned plant closed at the end of the business day on Friday (May 13).

 

He described its purchase as a good news story for the town of Berwick and East Coast poultry producers.

 

"The plant has to be renovated inside so that it can accommodate poultry processing equipment," Blenkharn said.

 

As a result, he expects the plant, which will process more than 40 million kilogrammes of chicken and turkey per year, to open in 2012.

 

The purchase and renovation costs will be about CAD40 million (US$41.3 million).

 

The plant is expected to employ about 200 people.

 

Products from the plant will be marketed throughout the Maritimes and Central Canada.

 

The sale is great news for all of Kings County, Berwick Mayor John Prall said on Saturday (May 14).

 

"About 300 jobs were lost when the Larsen plant closed but this makes up for a lot of that," Prall said.

 

Eden Valley Poultry has two shareholders, United Poultry Producers Inc., owned by poultry producers in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and Maple Lodge Holding Corp. of Brampton, Ont., the largest privately owned poultry processing company in Canada.