Olymel L.P., Canada, announced plans to invest more than $25 million to expand its hog slaughterhouse and butchering facility at St-Esprit in the Lanaudière region. Once completed, this expansion project will create up to 200 new jobs, which will be added to the current staff of 810 employees working at the facility.

This major construction project will add 35,000 square feet of space, bringing the total area of the facility to more than 215,000 square feet, including the construction of a refrigeration room and reorganization of production tables.

These improvements will also increase the facility's slaughtering capacity from 30,000-40,000 hogs weekly.

“This development project at our St-Esprit facility represents a major investment in the hog slaughtering and butchering sectors, and will benefit the entire pork industry in Quebec. Once completed, it will increase our production capabilities significantly and enhance our product offering, in addition to creating new jobs. It will also enable us to better meet the demands of our customers across Canada, as well as worldwide," says Réjean Nadeau, president and CEO.

The plant produces various cuts of pork, seasoned pork products and vacuum-packed products. Once the expansion is completed, it will also be equipped to produce chilled pork(refrigerated fresh pork).

This announcement comes on the heels of Olymel announcing plans to expand its St-Damase primary poultry processing plant.