lassonde acquires - Canadian Manufacturing

NE WS
FILE
The Voice of the Canadian Food & Beverage Industry
Olymel and Supraliment join forces
upraliment, the Meat Division of
S Group Brochu, and Olymel s.e.c.,
a subsidiary of La Coop fédérée, have
signed a partnership agreement to
merge their assets and operations. The
project has been approved by shareholders of both companies and is subject to
approval by the Competition Bureau. Until the
transaction is approved, both companies will continue to
operate independently.
Rejean Nadeau, president of Olymel, says the project has
undeniable advantages. “We are focusing on the positive
aspects of our differences while eliminating the roadblocks to
our respective growth. We are combining within a single
structure, with all the necessary elements to become a leader
on the national and international markets.”
Supraliment and Olymel market an extensive line of
products mainly under the Olymel, Lafleur and Flamingo
brands. The new company, as yet unnamed, will operate
plants and distribution centres in Quebec, Ontario and
Alberta. It is expected to generate sales of $2.5 billion and
will employ 12,000 workers.
Molson Suds for New Brunswick
Molson Inc. will build a $35 million brewery in Moncton,
N.B., by January 2007. “This announcement is another
demonstration of Molson’s commitment to the
Maritimes,” says Daniel O’Neill, Molson’s president
and CEO. “Molson currently employs over 125
people in the Atlantic region. The new facility
will bring the total to a minimum of 160 in the
first year of operations, and make Molson a
business and community partner in the
Maritimes.”
Kevin Boyce, Molson’s president and
COO, adds, “Building and operating a brewery
in New Brunswick affords Molson a local brewer status and the ability to operate warehouses
and have a distribution system in the region. It paves
the way for Molson to compete more effectively in the
region and to realize significant cost savings by being a local
brewer.”
The new state-of-the-art brewery will feature bottling and
keg lines and have the flexibility for the future installation of
a canning line. Brewing capacity will be more than six million 12-packs annually or 250,000 hectolitres. Once fully
operational, the facility will brew several of Molson’s most
popular core brands, such as Canadian and Coors Light, for
the regional market.
LASSONDE ACQUIRES
ALFRESH BEVERAGES
Q
uebec-based A. Lassonde Inc., a subsidiary
of Lassonde Industries Inc., a fruit juice and
drink manufacturer, has acquired the assets of
the fruit juice and drink manufacturer Alfresh
Beverages Canada Corp. for $16.33 million, plus
the value of certain inventories. The newly
acquired assets include production equipment,
automotive equipment and trademarks.
Alfresh Beverages Canada Corp. is a privately
held company located in Toronto. It was created in
2000 as a result of the merger of Sunlike Juice Ltd.
and Fairlee Fruit Juice Ltd., which combined more
than 35 years of experience in beverage production. Their best known brands are Everfresh,
Sunlike, Fairlee, Tropical Grove and Rich n’Ready.
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• NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
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Alfresh has net sales of approximately $66 million
and more than 100 employees.
“This acquisition,” says Jean Gattuso, president and CEO of A. Lassonde Inc., “will enable
A. Lassonde Inc. to strengthen its presence in
the Canadian fruit juice and fruit drink sector,
especially in Ontario foodservice. The acquisition
will add to a trademark portfolio that already
includes prestigious brands such as Rougemont,
Oasis, Fruité, Mont-Rouge, Allen’s, Graves,
Bright’s, Sunkist and SunMaid.”
The newly acquired business assets will be
used by A. Lassonde Inc. to carry on business
under a new division known as Lassonde
Beverages Canada.
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NEWSFILE
The new Maritimes brewery will
also support Molson’s long-term strategy to grow its export business based on
its strategic geographic location, which
provides proximity to the Northeast
U.S. and access to overseas markets.
The Moncton Brewery will become
Molson’s sixth brewery in Canada.
Molson currently operates breweries
in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto,
Montreal and St. John’s.
duced in Quebec and the Ottawa
region, with a national roll-out expected in 2005.
Pelee Island Winery Goes Green
P
elee Island Winery is working with
the World Wildlife Fund Canada
(WWF-Canada) to develop a new
industry standard for sustainable vineyard growing. “It’s very much a work in
progress, and a consultative process
between the WWF-Canada the vineyard management and our consultants,”
says Andrew von Teichman, co-owner
of the winery. The winery is in an ideal
location for the study, as it has com-
New Identity
T
he Food and Consumer Products
Manufacturers of Canada unveiled
a new name and logo this past fall.
The new name, Food and Consumer
Products of Canada, is “a more simple
and clear identity,” says Nancy Croitoru,
the association’s president and CEO.
The website address has also changed
to reflect the
new identity:
www.fcpc.ca
Sweet Idea
V
ictoriaville, Que.-based Capilano
Labonté Inc. has launched a new
range of floral honeys in a consumerfriendly package. The non-drip, no
mess squeeze pack was created with a
patented valve designed for the viscosity of honey.
Why do we need so many hats? So that we can wear
the right one to help you keep one step ahead of
your competition. We’re Canada’s largest food
starch technical support team. We also have
the widest selection of modified and organic
specialty starches, including corn, waxy maize,
tapioca and other hybrids. Ask us to make light
Turning the honey world upside down,
Capilano Labonté Inc. introduces a new
range of floral honeys.
“This is the first new product line
for our company since the July 2003
merger of Capilano Honey Limited of
Australia and Miel Labonté Honey,”
says Jean Marc Labonté, president of
Capilano Labonté Inc. The product
range includes Blueberry, Clover and
Australian Eucaplyptus honey, regular
liquid honey and a Certified Organic
Honey. The product has been introW W W. F O O D I N C A N A D A . C O M
work of your next prepared food product. After all,
we’ve got enough hats.
Nacan Products Limited
IS A NATIONAL STARCH AND CHEMICAL COMPANY
Call for your free copy of
YOUR CHOICE OF FOOD STARCHES
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FOOD IN CANADA •
9
NEWSFILE
plete control over the entire
vineyard and has its own
unique microclimate.
The study, which began this
past spring, includes identification of vineyard pest activity,
limited use of ecologically
responsible pesticide sprays and
the use of natural fertilizers.
“This is the first time in
Canada that sustainable agricultural practices have been
applied to grape growing,” says
von Teichman. Initial report Andrew von Teichman
results are expected in January “By growing grapes in the most
when all the data collected dur- naturally possible way we plan
ing the growing year has been to create Canada’s finest, most
tabled and analyzed. He adds, natural premium wines and to
“We are planning to re-imple- make Pelee Island the greenest
ment these practices in 2005. community in North America.”
What we’re really aiming for is
a vigorous healthy plant, that is able to search for nutrients.”
Pelee Island is home to more than 10,000 unique species,
including plants, reptiles and birds. The winery itself is the
largest landholder on the island, covering more than 550
acres, and features the largest planting of European vinifera
white and red varietals in Canada. The winery is the largest
private estate and the third largest winery in Canada,
producing approximately 270,000 cases of wine per year.
Bev Expo 2004
D
espite the worst hurricane season in recent memory,
2,500 visitors and 260 exhibitors made the trek to
Tampa, Fla., for the debut of BevExpo 2004. The biennial
tradeshow is devoted exclusively to suppliers to the global
beverage industry, and showcases innovations in beverage
manufacturing equipment, packaging, ingredients, materials
handling and merchandising. The next BevExpo is scheduled
for October 4-6, 2006 in New Orleans.
Award Winners
R
enée Unger, president and founder of Toronto-based
Renée’s Gourmet, won the Business to Consumer Products
and Services award in the business category of the Ernst and
Young Entrepreneur of the Year Ontario awards. Renée’s
Gourmet makes refrigerated dressings, dips, marinades
and sauces. At the same ceremony, Teresa Cascioli, Lakeport
Brewing Corp. president and CEO, was named 2004
Entrepreneur of the Year, in the Turnaround cateory for
leading Lakeport from bankruptcy four years ago to now
being the third-largest supplier of beer to the at-home consumer market. Lakeport’s share of that market segment has
more than tripled in the past year.
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• NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
2004
W W W. F O O D I N C A N A D A . C O M
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NEWSFILE
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
FOOD LABELLING
Gary Gnirss’ regulatory affairs column in the September 2004 issue
of Food in Canada provided a valuable summary of the requirements dealing with nutrition for institutional food labelling.
However, I disagree with the statement: “In the case of ready-toserve lasagna, a nutrition facts table, formatted as required, would
be called for.”
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) 2003
Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising, section 5.14 Food for
Commercial or Industrial Enterprises or Institutions: “The information does not have to appear in a Nutrition Facts table format as prescribed by B.01.401(1) [B.01.401(7)(b)].”
Health Canada’s FAQ on nutrition labelling (http://www.hcsc.gc.ca/hpfb-dgpsa/onpp-bppn/labelling-etiquetage/regulations_
faqs_e.html#a2e) also states that the information “is not required
to appear in a Nutrition Facts table format.”
Please ensure that the erroneous statement, implying that nutrition information is required in Nutrition Facts table format for
foods for commercial or industrial enterprises or institutions, is
corrected for your readers. The new nutrition labelling regulations
are already extremely demanding of food manufacturers. Let’s not
make them any tougher than they need to be.
Sincerely,
Lorraine Stanford
Regulatory Specialist
LTS Consulting
You are correct. The language in the article would have been better
to state “nutrition information,” as opposed to “nutrition facts
table.”
The FDR in part B.01.405. (1) expresses how the information is
to be presented (see below). Even though B.01.401 does express
that a nutrition facts table (NFT) must be placed on a label of a
prepackaged product, B.01.405 refers to “nutrition information,”
which must be formatted as would otherwise be required had it not
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• NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
2004
been exempt under B.01.401(7). Technically it is B.01.450 that lays
out the manner of presenting the “nutrition facts table,” including
prescribing the order of information. CFIA's guidelines in the 2003
draft Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising concerning the manner of presenting nutrition information for “Foods for Enterprise or
Institution” is broader than just B.01.401 and B.01.402, since it
“borrows” considerations from B.01.450. It, however, all makes good
sense. The net result is that nutrition information itself must be presented in the required manner, but that it need not be set out in a
fanatically prescribed “table” as would have otherwise been required.
I do suggest (optional) that if nutrition information is presented on
the label for these types of foods (optional) that a “nutrition facts
table,” such as figure 3.1, be used. I also suggest (optional) that if
written information is presented on a separate document, that it be
set up in a tablelike format that mimics a real NFT, but within the
limits of what a typical word processor can do. This tends to work
well in delivering information in a consistent and predictable format
to your customers. I hope this clarifies the matter. I really do appreciate your keen interest. It keeps me alert to the regulations and precise
language needed.
Excerpt from the FDR...
B.01.405. (1) This section applies to a prepackaged product that is
a multiple-serving ready-to-serve prepackaged product intended
solely to be served in a commercial or industrial enterprise or institution.
(2) No person shall sell the product unless written nutrition information concerning the product accompanies the product when it is
delivered to the purchaser.
(3) The nutrition information
(a) shall include the information that would, but for subsection
B.01.401(7), be required by sections B.01.401 and B.01.402 to be
included in a nutrition facts table for the product;
(b) may include other information that is permitted by section
B.01.402 to be included in that nutrition facts table; and
(c) shall be expressed in accordance with sections B.01.401 and
B.01.402.
– Gary Gnirss
W W W. F O O D I N C A N A D A . C O M
NEWSFILE
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Heinz Canada has three new appointments: Peter Luik is chief operating officer;
Brian Arbique is vice-president, retail sales
and marketing; and Philippe Guay is
director, national sales – retail. • ConAgra
Foods Canada appoints Tom Gunter
vice-president of sales. • Dr. David ButlerJones, who is based in Winnipeg, will head
the Public Health Agency of Canada. •
Gemma Zecchini is appointed senior vicepresident, public policy at the Food and
Consumer Products Canada. Philip Donne
is appointed to chair of the board of directors for 2004-2005. • The American Meat
Institute elects Canadian Bill Buckner
chairman. Buckner is corporate vice-president of Cargill and president of Cargill
Meat Solutions. • Jean Bedard has been
elected chairman of the Canadian
Restaurant and Foodservices Association.
• Second Cup Coffee Ltd. appoints Bruce
Elliot president.
Fragrances Inc. appoints James Dunsdon
to chief operating office. • Richard Ensor
joins food flavour manufacturer David
Michael & Co.’s Strategic Alliance Advisory
Board. Ensor was previously at Torontobased Firmenich Canada Ltd. Denis Blais
is now senior account manager responsible for sales in Eastern Canada and
Jennifer Jacobs is senior account manager
responsible for sales in Texas, Louisiana,
Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska, Mississippi and Kansas.
ON THE SUPPLIER FRONT:
Memphis-based AZO Incorporated appoints John Little to national sales manager for Canada. AZO designs systems, components and controls and provides automated ingredient handling technology to
the food industry. • Weighpack Systems,
which has facilities in Mississauga, Ont.,
Montreal and Las Vegas, appoints Rick
Bougie to sales manager for the Eastern
Region. • Toronto-based Cube Route, a
provider of on-demand logistics services,
appoints John Foresi and Michael
Sprague to its board of directors. •
Michael Kirwan, senior vice-president corporate developtment at Vancouver-based
Burcon NutraScience Corporation has left
the company. Jade Cheng will take over his
responsibilities. • Markham, Ont.-based
Delfour Corporation, a developer and marketer of third- and fourth-party logistics,
appoints Paul Thornhill to vice-president,
business development and marketing. •
Oklahoma Safety Equipment Co. Inc.
(Oseco), a manufacturer of pressure relief
devices, appoints Ben Boh to regional
sales manager with responsibilities
for Canada, Asia and the West Coast. •
New York-based International Flavors &
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FOOD IN CANADA •
13
NEWSFILE
SUPPLIER’S UPDATE
Tuchenhagen Canada Inc. has began a distributor agreement
with Granby, Que.-based LM2S. LM2S will be taking spare parts
orders for all Canadian customers and will be selling new
Tuchenhagen equipment in Quebec on a non-exclusive basis.
• Weighpack Systems, which has offices in Montreal and Las
Vegas and designs and manufactures packaging material,
has just opened an office in Mississauga, Ont. • Markham, Ont.based Delfour Corporation, has established two Radio
Frequency Identification laboratories, one is located in
Brampton, Ont., the other in Richmond, Va. • Embassy Food
Specialties Ltd., has launched its new corporate identity. Its
new name is Embassy Flavours Ltd., new website is:
www.embassyflavours.com and there’s also a new logo. •
Pewaukee, Wis.-based Trico Mfg. Corp. and Toronto-based
Schematic Approach Inc. have joined forces to offer a predictive
maintenance program. • Toronto-based Cube Route, a provider
of on-demand logistics services, has added GPS tracking and out
of area coverage to its services. • Omega Protein Corporation, a
Houston-based manufacturer of fish oils containing long-chain
omega-3 fatty acids, has entered into a manufacturing and supply
agreement with National Starch and Chemical Company.
Omega Protein will provide all of National Starch’s requirements
for long-chain omega-3 fish oil. National Starch will encapsulate
EXPORTING CANADA
...ONE BITE AT A TIME
Omega Protein’s long-chain omega-3 fish oil product,
OmegaPure, into a free-flowing dry powder called Novomega. •
Cargill Inc. and Monsanto have formed a partnership: Cargill will
be a participating processor of Monsanto’s Vistive low-linolenic
soybeans and will market the Vistive oil to the food industry. •
Bain Capital has completed its acquisition of Rhodia’s phosphates business. The company is launching with a new name:
Innophos Inc. • The Frost and Sullivan Product Leadership Award
in the field of edible oils and fats has gone to ADM for its development of the NovaLipid line of zero/low trans fat oils. • Chr.
Hansen has opened a 2,000 square-metre facility in Argentina.
Also, scientists at Chr. Hansen have discovered a lactic acid bacteria that when consumed in cultured dairy products, such as
yogurt and potentially other food products, may reduce high
blood pressure. It’s called Cardi-04 and has reduced high blood
pressure in animal studies. • ORAFTI Active Food Ingredients
will increase the price of its Raftiline and Raftilose range, following increases in production and raw material costs. •
Philadelphia-based FMC BioPolymer announced that it will raise
the prices of its selected food-grade carrageenan products by seven
to eight per cent. • Bunge Limited and DuPont have launched a
new soybean oil that will allow foodservice providers and food
processors to reduce or eliminate trans fatty acids in their products.
CHARTING YOUR PATH TO
INCREASED EXPORT SALES SUCCESS
Getting your goods to foreign markets is a complicated business but the Canadian Food Exporters Association (CFEA)
can help smooth your path. If you’ve ever wondered if you’ve done your label correctly or if you’ve completed your
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The Canadian Food Exporters Association (CFEA) is a voluntary not-for-profit trade association founded in September
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of export efforts in the food and beverage industry. CFEA works primarily but not exclusively for the small-medium size
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Canadian Food Exporters Association (CFEA) 885 Don Mills Rd., Ste. 301, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3C 1V9
Tel: 416 445-3747 Fax: 416 510-8044
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• NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
2004
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