Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


New owners for Leamington plant

Thursday, February 27, 2014

by SUSAN MANN

It’s good news that H.J. Heinz Company of Canada Ltd. announced today it has signed a letter of intent to sell its Leamington plant to Canadian company Highbury Canco Corporation, says an Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers spokesman.

Chairman Jim Poel says the proposal from Highbury Canco Corporation, formed by a group of investors and current managers at the plant, is the one the board supported. Juice will be the new owners’ main product.

“The growers certainly appreciate that there’s the opportunity to continue growing tomatoes.” Poel says. “We’re glad to support this venture.”

In Heinz’s Feb. 27 news release, Michael Mullen, senior vice president of corporate and government affairs, says Heinz received many expressions of interest in the facility. “We are pleased we were able to identify a strong new partner for the community and for Heinz.”

In November 2013, Heinz announced it was closing the 104-year-old facility in a staged process to be completed by June. It was making ketchup, beans, baby food and juice.

Highbury Canco will act as a co-packer for Heinz. Highbury spokesperson Pradeep Sood says in the Heinz release that under the terms of the letter of intent it will continue manufacturing “certain identified Heinz products and as well provide certain distribution and logistics services to Heinz in Canada.”

In a telephone interview, Sood says the company will be mostly making tomato juice along with beans and other products but not ketchup. “What we want to do is manufacture for Heinz and also for a private company” and they also have the option to create their own brand, he says.

Highbury Canco is buying the Leamington plant, the land it sits on and the equipment in the facility, he notes, adding they intend to operate it year round.

The deal is expected to be finalized within two months at the most. “We need to work on it quickly because of the tomato season,” Sood says. In the news release he notes Highbury Canco will work with all of its strategic partners including local farmers, the workforce, the local community and all levels of government to finalize the agreement with Heinz.

Sood says he’s not at liberty to discuss the purchase price because the deal hasn’t closed yet. “We really don’t know what it’s going to be at the end of it all.”

As for how many tomato growers they will need, Sood says he doesn’t know the number yet “but we do need the tomatoes and there will be growers at work.” Highbury Canco will be working with Heinz to determine the number of growers it will need.

Mullen couldn’t be reached for comment.

Heinz says in the release the signing of the letter of intent is subject to the successful completion of the full transaction.

The change of ownership of the Leamington plant doesn’t impact the processing tomato negotiations between the vegetable board and processors going on now, as they do every year. Poel says the board negotiates a fair and competitive price for raw tomato product regardless of what company buys the product. “We’ll certainly work together with this new entity to negotiate a fair price,” he explains.

Economic Development, Trade and Employment Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins says in a Feb. 27 statement sent by his representative Gabe De Roche by email that he’s “very glad with the joint announcement by Heinz and Highbury Canco Corporation that the Leamington facility will continue operations.” Hoskins says he’s also “very pleased that our government played a leading role in bringing these two companies together to ensure a brighter future for the Leamington facility.” BF

Current Issue

April 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

Lynmark Farms named Master Breeder for 2025

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

The Canadian Milking Shorthorn Society has announced that Lynmark Farms has been named as a herd for 2025. Lynmark Farms is owned and operated by Tim Shearer and Irene Vietinghoff of Norwood, Ontario. They are the third Milking Shorthorn herd to be recognized as a since this... Read this article online

John Deere collaborates with Dovetail Workwear

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Built by, for, and with women, Dovetail Workwear is teaming with John Deere ( Deere & Company) to develop a collection of apparel and gear specifically designed to address the needs of women in the agricultural industry. The companies said there’s a shared commitment to celebrating... Read this article online

Keep it Clean launches 2025 Product Advisory

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

The from Keep it Clean is now available to inform growers and crop advisors about potential market risks tied to certain crop protection products when used on some crops. Click HERE. Keep it Clean is a joint initiative of the Canola Council of Canada, Cereals Canada, Pulse Canada,... Read this article online

OFA Fights for Farmer Rights during Tariff War

Monday, March 31, 2025

The agricultural sector in Ontario trades billions of dollars annually with the U.S. In 2023, this amounted to $32.8 billion, it also included a trade deficit of nearly $2 billion. The impact of tariffs and trade barriers on this trade is significant, as they disrupt supply chains, reduce... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top