An eastern Ontario company that offers freezing and packing services to meat packers and other processors has picked up public funding for new refrigeration equipment.
Canadian Blast Freezers, based at Quinte West, about 20 km west of Belleville, will get $620,820 from the provincial Eastern Ontario Development Fund for its two-year expansion project.
By introducing “cutting-edge refrigerated technology, as well as new meat processing and cooking lines,” Canadian Blast Freezers expects to improve overall efficiency, expand its client base and boost profitability, the province said in a release Tuesday.
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The company provides blast freezing, frozen storage and specialized pack and export services to meat and food processors. Its blast freezer cells are able to drop temperatures down to -45°C, completely freezing boxed meat products in cycle times ranging from 24 to 48 hours, the company said.
The project is expected to give the region a “fully-integrated, state-of-the art food processing facility,” the province said.
The program’s support is expected to help Canadian Blast Freezers “strengthen its position within the region’s food processing sector,” company president Dale Willard said in the province’s release.
“This investment will also help diversify our product line, expand our customer base and provide the local community with 75 new jobs.”
