The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, is calling for clarity from Diageo regarding the future of its Crown Royal whisky production following the announcement of the impending closure of the Amherstburg bottling facility in Ontario.

“We are just months away from the planned closure of the Amherstburg plant that currently blends and bottles Crown Royal without additional Canadian capacity to take over the work that they claim will still be done in Canada,” Unifor said in a statement.

This decision, part of Diageo's broader cost-saving initiative, has raised concerns about job losses and the integrity of the Crown Royal brand.

Diageo, a UK-based global leader in beverage alcohol, revealed last month that it plans to cease operations at the Amherstburg plant by February 2026.

The company intends to consolidate its bottling operations, shifting some capabilities to various facilities in the US to enhance its North American supply chain and support long-term growth objectives.

While Diageo maintains that Crown Royal will “continue to be blended in Canada for all markets, including the US,” and that “to be labelled Canadian Whisky, the whisky must, among other things, be mashed, aged, and distilled in Canada – just as Crown Royal is and will continue to be".

The union is demanding specific details about which US facilities will take over bottling responsibilities and how this transition will affect the quality and authenticity of Crown Royal as a Canadian whisky.

Unifor Local 200 president John D’Agnolo criticised Diageo's vague communications: “The decision to shutter Amherstburg and kill more than 200 Canadian jobs was made in a boardroom in England by people who do not understand the history of the brand, with an American spin doctor tasked with addressing valid concerns about the legitimacy of maintaining Crown Royal as a true Canadian whisky".

He continued: "It’s time for Diageo to come clean on how it plans to bottle Crown Royal past February of next year – beyond vague statements of multiple sites in the US and unspecified plans to mash, blend, age and distill in Canada”.

He highlighted the importance of local water and ingredients in the current blending process at the Amherstburg site, noting the potential quality risks associated with shipping unbottled whisky to the US.

The loss of jobs has sparked outrage not only from union representatives but also from Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has publicly condemned Diageo's decision. Ford urged consumers to support local producers and suggested that the company could face backlash for its actions.

Diageo has not yet responded to Unifor's demands for further clarification, but the company previously stated that it would maintain a significant operational presence in Canada, including its headquarters and other facilities in Gimli, Manitoba, and Valleyfield, Quebec.

In January of this year, following the inauguration of President Trump, Diageo announced plans to construct a plant in Montgomery, Alabama, a notorious anti-union ‘Right-to-Work’ state.

Unifor says it is concerned that once Diageo alters the made-in-Canada process for Crown Royal, it will continue to shift jobs south of the border, further undermining Canadian employment in the beverage alcohol sector.

The decision to close the Amherstburg facility aligns with Diageo’s Accelerate programme, which aims to achieve approximately $625 million in savings over three years. This includes streamlining operations and consolidating production to enhance efficiency.

However, the shift has raised alarms about the long-term implications for Canadian jobs and the authenticity of a brand that has long been a symbol of Canadian whisky.