Quebec’s Olymel plans to consolidate its sausage business into a next-to-new processing plant, after making a deal to buy the plant’s owner. Olymel, the meat packing arm of La Coop federee, announced Tuesday it will buy Trois-Rivieres processor La Fernandiere for an undisclosed sum. La Fernandiere will “remain an autonomous entity” within Olymel, the company […] Read more

Olymel buying Quebec sausage maker

Olymel to expand Quebec, Ontario poultry plants
La Coop federee’s meat processing arm Olymel plans “major investment” to boost production capacity two of its poultry plants in Eastern Canada. The company on Tuesday said it would put up $10 million to install an air chilling room at its primary chicken processing plant at St-Damase, just south of St-Hyacinthe in Quebec’s Monteregie. The […] Read more

Coop Federee to offer Olymel stake
Reuters — Quebec-based La Coop Federee, one of Canada’s biggest farmer co-operatives, is offering for sale up to 49 per cent of pork processor Olymel, to help fund expansion in Western Canada, CEO Gaetan Desroches said in an interview. La Co-op would retain control of Olymel, which along with Maple Leaf Foods is one of […] Read more

Olymel buying into Quebec pork packer Lucyporc
Canada’s biggest pork and poultry exporter is set to take a stake in a Quebec pork packer specializing in cuts for the Japanese market and other overseas buyers. Olymel, the meat packing and processing arm of Quebec’s Coop Federee, announced a share exchange Monday with Quebec livestock producer and processor Groupe Robitaille, which would give […] Read more

Que. Olymel workers approve deal to end strike
Unionized workers at meat packer Olymel’s hog slaughter and packing plant in Quebec’s Beauce region are heading back to work after voting to accept a new six-year labour deal. Out of about 940 striking workers at the Vallee-Jonction hog plant represented by CSN (Confederation des syndicats nationaux), 816 met Friday at nearby Tring-Jonction and voted […] Read more

Que. conciliator to meet with striking Olymel staff
A conciliator with Quebec’s provincial labour ministry is set to meet Friday with striking employees from meat packer Olymel’s Beauce-region hog slaughter plant. The Vallee-Jonction plant’s 940-odd employees represented by CSN (Confederation des syndicats nationaux) walked off the job on March 18. Union and company officials have been in talks with the provincial conciliator, Jean […] Read more
Olymel to lay off Que. hog plant staff, cancel hog orders
Quebec pork and poultry packer Olymel has cancelled hog orders from Ontario and plans to lay off non-union staff at one of its hog slaughter plants next week, citing “force majeure” as the plant’s unionized workers walk the picket line. Workers represented by CSN (Confederation des syndicats nationaux) at Olymel’s Vallee-Jonction hog plant in Quebec’s […] Read more

Olymel hog plant workers hit the bricks in Quebec
Unionized workers at Olymel’s hog slaughter and processing plant in Quebec’s Beauce region have walked off the job and rejected the meat company’s “final” contract offer. Olymel’s corporate communications spokesman Richard Vigneault confirmed the workers, represented by CSN (Confederation des syndicats nationaux), went on strike Wednesday evening. CSN, in a release Thursday, said 841 of […] Read more

Olymel hog plant staff approve strike mandate
Updated, March 19 — Olymel has tabled a “final comprehensive offer” for unionized staff at its Vallee-Jonction, Que. hog slaughter plant after the workers gave negotiators a strike mandate. The meat packing arm of Quebec’s Coop Federee said Wednesday it’s at an “impasse” with its workers, represented by the Confederation des syndicats nationaux (CSN), due […] Read more

Pork packers Olymel, Atrahan plan ‘partnership’
Meat packer Olymel has a “partnership” pact in hand with a competing Quebec pork player for joint operation of both companies’ hog slaughter and processing businesses. Olymel, the pork and poultry arm of La Coop federee, announced an agreement in principle Wednesday with family-owned packer Atrahan Transformation, to start talks on “pooling our operations in […] Read more