UK-based Hilton Food Group will build its first food processing and distribution facility in North America in Canada.
The 230,000-square-foot plant in Brantford in Ontario will supply beef, pork, lamb and seafood to distribution centres in Mississauga, Cornwall and Moncton.
Matt Lee, the CEO of Hilton Foods’ operations in the region, said: “This is the beginning of a long-term commitment to Ontario’s food supply chain, to the people of this region, and to the future of high-quality Canadian food products, right here in Brantford, Ontario.”
The London-listed company, which primarily operates as a private-label business, first revealed its intentions for the facility in 2023 following a long-term deal with Walmart.
The factory is slated to start production next year. In a statement, the Ontario government said that the project is expected to create 150 new jobs.
Hilton Food Group will invest C$192m ($140m) into the facility, with the province contributing C$1.5m through its Southwestern Ontario Development Fund to support the expansion.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataIn 2024, Hilton Food reported revenue of £3.98bn ($5.41bn), nearly unchanged from 2023 but up 1.9% on a constant-currency basis. The company generated £1.47bn of its revenue from the UK and Ireland.
For the 52 weeks ended 29 December, operating profit grew to £98.8m, compared to £86.1m in the previous year.
Profit for the period increased to £41.6m, surpassing the £38m recorded a year earlier.
Hilton Food supplies the US market with seafood following the company’s acquisition of Dutch salmon processor Foppen in 2021.
Foppen, the trading name of the Dutch Seafood Company, serves customers in the US with value-added branded and own-label smoked salmon products. Hilton Food, however, does not have a manufacturing presence in the US.
