Sunrise Farms to invest US$73M in new Ontario poultry processing plant

USA – Sunrise Farms plans to spend more than US$73 million to construct a poultry processing facility in Woodstock, Ontario, in what the Canadian company describes as the biggest greenfield development in its history.

The company said the 155,000-square-foot plant will use advanced processing technology and is expected to increase production capacity while raising poultry procurement from farms across Ontario once operations begin.

David Shoore, chief executive officer of Sunrise Farms, said the new site is intended to help the company meet growing demand for halal-certified poultry products sold under the Sargent Farms brand across Ontario and other parts of Canada.

In addition, the facility is projected to create 100 new positions in Woodstock while maintaining an additional 248 jobs elsewhere in Ontario linked to the company’s operations.

The company also stated that the plant will be designed to comply with food safety and environmental requirements set for federally licensed poultry processing operations in Canada.

Meanwhile, Sunrise Farms said that obtaining a federal processing licence from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency would allow the business to ship Sargent Farms products across provincial and territorial borders, thereby expanding access to additional markets nationwide.

Provincial support tied to supply chain expansion

The Ontario government confirmed it will contribute up to US$2.9 million toward the project through the Invest Ontario Fund, according to details released in an official statement.

Victor “Vic” Fedeli, Ontario’s minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, said the investment is expected to add processing capacity to Ontario’s domestic agri-food supply chain as demand for locally produced food products continues to rise.

Sunrise Farms purchased Sargent Farms in 2023 as part of its expansion within the Canadian poultry market.

According to the company’s website, Sunrise Farms was established in 1983 and began operations with a small processing facility located in Surrey, British Columbia, before expanding into multiple provinces, including Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.

The Ontario government said the province’s agri-food industry contributes about US$38 billion to gross domestic product annually and employs 1 in 9 workers across Ontario.

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