April 3, 2012

Maple Leaf Foods had announced that the Puslinch Township, in the County of Wellington, will be the location for a new distribution centre that will operate as the company's prepared meats distribution hub for central and eastern Canada.

The 282,000 square foot distribution centre will combine ambient, refrigerated and frozen products into one facility. The centre will be built and owned by a third-party investor and leased by Maple Leaf Foods. The location is in proximity to Maple Leaf Foods' eastern prepared meats facilities including the 402,000 square foot facility currently under construction in Hamilton, and provides ready access through the 400 series highways.

"This is another important step in the implementation of our value creation plan, details of which were announced in October 2011," said Michael McCain, president and CEO, Maple Leaf Foods. "This new facility will simplify our distribution network and significantly increase our supply chain efficiencies."

The company will now proceed with the appropriate regulatory approvals with construction expected to commence this spring. It will be commissioned in the first half of 2013, with the consolidation of its existing distribution centres in Moncton, Burlington, and Kitchener to be completed by 2014.

Maple Leaf also announced that David L. Emerson is nominated to join the company's board as an independent director.