Maple Leaf Foods buys poultry processing plant in Ontario

Maple Leaf Foods has bought a Cericola Farms poultry processing plant located near Schomberg, Ontario.

The acquisition – which includes the facility’s associated poultry supply – is said to align with Maple Leaf’s strategy to expand its meat protein business.

The transaction was completed in accordance with the exercise of a put option by the vendors, Certm and related companies.

The put option was part of a 2018 agreement which previously saw Maple Leaf acquire two other Cericola Farms poultry plants in Canada.

At the time, Maple Leaf entered into a deal to secure 100% of the processed chicken volume from the Schomberg plant, with an option to acquire this asset and associated plant supply in three years.