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Pork producer invests $2 million in Red Deer

Olymel renovating Red Deer plant to produce fresh sausages for Western Canadian market
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Olymel is investing $2 million in its Red Deer plant.

“The investment aims to equip the plant to manufacture fresh sausages for the Western Canadian market,” says the company in a Monday news release.

Modernized refrigeration facilities and new equipment will be added through the project, which is expected to begin later this month.

The upgrade will add 20 new jobs to the plant’s payroll of 1,400. Quebec-based Olymel bought the Red Deer pork processing facility in Riverside Light Industrial Park.

“Thanks to this strategic investment, the Olymel Red Deer plant in Alberta is diversifying its local activities and enabling it, among other things, to add value to some of its raw materials,” says Olymel president and CEO Réjean Nadeau, in a statement.

“The new section for fresh sausage production at the Red Deer plant is an integral part of an investment plan directed at greater penetration in the Western Canadian market to meet growing demand for sausage products manufactured in Canada,” Nadeau says.

The changes to the Red Deer plant will reduce transportation times for Western Canadian markets, which will mean better shelf-life for products.

“The implementation of this new activity will enable Olymel to expand its business base and serve the Western Canadian market even better in product categories such as breakfast and fresh sausages as well as bulk sausage meat.”

Olymel employs more than 11,000 people in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan.

It has annual sales of $3.2 billion and markets mostly under the Olymel, Lafleur and Famingo brands.

pcowley@reddeeradvocate.com