Simplot adds fourth shift in Portage La Prairie french fry factory

Expansion is coming to the Simplot Canada Ltd. potato processing facility in Portage la Prairie.
The plant is expanding production by adding a fourth shift, and plans to hire 40 more people by mid-spring.
“Worldwide demand for our food products has created the need to buy more local potatoes and hire more people to help us make the products, “ said plant manager Chris Tompkins in a statement released today.

Simplot provides the following information on this french fry factory:

Simplot’s plant in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, has an annual capacity of more than 300 million pounds for frozen french fries and formed potato products. The plant, which opened in 2003 and is among the most efficient facilities of its kind in the world, is designed to accommodate expansion that could double its initial capacity.

The Portage plant serves mainly large quick-service-restaurant chains and other Simplot customers in the East, Southeast, and Midwest.

The facility measures 180,000 square feet, with an additional 85,000 square feet in an on-site freezer warehouse.

The operation employs 230 people and was built at a cost of $150 million (Canadian).