Kraft Heinz Canada and Highbury Canco announced the extension of their partnership agreement in Leamington for another four years.
The production contract now runs until the end of 2027.
The company says about $1 billion worth of Kraft Heinz Canada products will be produced in Leamington over the next four years.
Wednesday's announcement marks the third consecutive extension of the long-standing partnership between the two organizations in Southern Ontario, a connection that has helped create jobs and strengthen the local economy.
Highbury Canco employs more than 600 Canadians at its 198,850-square-foot facility in Leamington, where some of Kraft Heinz Canada's most popular products are manufactured, including Heinz beans, Heinz tomato juice and Classico pasta sauce.The former Heinz plant in Leamington will be given new life as the Highbury Canco plant on November 13, 2014. (Sacha Long /CTV Windsor)
“We are proud to extend our agreement with Highbury Canco and look forward to continuing to have Kraft Heinz Canada products produced by the talented and hard-working employees at the Leamington facility for the next four years,” said Simon Laroche, President of Kraft Heinz Canada. “We have built strong local partnerships across Canada, our second largest market globally, for over 100 years and this new agreement underscores our ongoing commitment to being a strong partner to Canadian communities.”
Kraft Heinz Canada continues to be Highbury Canco's largest partner in Canada, using over 220 million pounds of Ontario tomatoes annually in its products. Highbury Canco's Leamington plant exclusively produces the tomato paste used in all Heinz ketchups made at Kraft Heinz's Mont Royal plant in Montreal.
“Extending our partnership with Kraft Heinz Canada for another four years provides significant stability for our facility and our workforce,” said Sam Diab, CEO of Highbury Canco. “This is a mutually beneficial alliance that is meaningful to the community of Leamington and to all Canadians who can continue to enjoy Kraft Heinz Canada products manufactured in facilities like ours.”