Toronto, Jan. 8 - CanGro Foods announced today its plan to sell or close its Exeter and St. Davids, Ontario vegetable and fruit processing plants. The plants will be sold or cease operations by March 31, 2008. Up to 268 hourly and 27 salaried positions as well as all seasonal positions may be eliminated.
"These actions follow CanGro's 2006 Chambly, Quebec vegetable plant closure as CanGro will now shift to outsourcing its canned vegetable and fruit requirements", said David Hoyles, V.P. Operations for CanGro Foods.
Unionized employees are represented by The United Food and Commercial Workers (U.F.C.W.) Local 175. Employees will be treated fairly, consistent with all applicable laws, company policy and their collective agreement.
CanGro Foods markets canned fruit, tomatoes and vegetables under leading brand names Del Monte, Aylmer and Ideal.
CanGro Foods is a subsidiary of Sun Capital Partners, Inc. and EG Capital Group LLC, leading private equity firms specializing in leveraged buyouts of market-leading companies.