Manitoba announces historic investment in food processing

The Manitoba government and Roquette today announced a historic investment in the province’s food-processing industry, confirming the France-based company’s plans to build a new, $400-million pea-processing facility near Portage la Prairie.  Premier Brian Pallister and Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler were joined by Edouard Roquette, Roquette’s chairman and Jean-Marc Gilson, Roquette’s CEO, as well as many industry partners for the announcement made at the Legislative Building on Global Pulse Day. Once open, the facility is expected to create approximately 150 jobs with an estimated annual payroll of around $9 million, the premier noted.  The facility will help to better serve customers in North America and globally with high-value nutritional choices including vegetarian foods and high-protein sport nutrition products, he added. Construction is expected to begin in the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie before the end of 2017, Roquette said.  Roquette is committed to working with local contractors, skilled trades and professional service providers, with approximately 350 full-time jobs anticipated during the project’s two-year design and construction phase, he added.