German food group Dr Oetker plans to close its leased pizza manufacturing plant in New Brunswick, Canada, due to a “challenging” operating environment.

The owner of the Ristorante brand of frozen pizzas and maker of baking ingredients will shut the facility in Grand Falls in May, with employees to be offered severance packages.

Dr Oetker said today (30 January) that the business climate in which it operates has “become increasingly challenging in recent years, both in terms of price and cost, adding significant additional pressures in the manufacturing environment”. 

Emphasising its commitment to Canada, the company said 70% of the production capacity at Grand Falls will be transferred to its owned site in London, Ontario, while the other 30% will move to Lodi in the US state of New Jersey. 

Executive vice president Cécile Van Zandijcke acknowledged the contribution of the workers at the Grand Falls’ plant, all of whom will be offered assistance in finding work.

“Food manufacturers have been facing severe economic pressures over the last few years and today’s market has become ultra-competitive,” Van Zandijcke said. “In order for Dr Oetker to continue operating efficiently within this challenging environment, we needed to restructure our Canadian manufacturing operation.”

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.