News On French Fries and Potato Specialties from Canada

McCain Foods is laying off about 10 per cent of its workforce in Portage la Prairie this fall and Manitoba potato producers are expecting a leaner crop year.About 40 people out of a workforce of about 400 at McCain's in Portage are expected to be laid ...

Potato farmers selling potatoes to McCain Foods have seen their contract improved after going to arbitration.The farmers had complained McCain's offer price was not even close to what Cavendish Farms is giving its farmers. The issue went to arbitration...

In Manitoba, the potato crop is off to a record start - over half the potato acreage has been planted -, but that does not mean potato growers are pleased with how the spring has progressed. Growers of processing potatoes are still without price cont...

McCain Foods is permanently reducing the number of production shifts from 3 to 2 at its Borden-Carleton, P.E.I., plant this fall, leading to the layoff of 35 people.Calla Farn, vice-president of government and public relations and corporate affairs for...

Prince Edward Island potato farmers have rejected a contract offered by McCain Foods, arguing the proposal was less than one accepted last week from a rival company.The farmers voted Tuesday night against what they called a disappointing price offered ...

Cavendish Farms process growers voted to accept the company’s 2010 contract offer with overwhelming support despite an agreed upon cut in the base price at the end of the season.About 100 growers cast ballots in the recent secret vote and the offer — c...

McCain Foods (Canada) and Food Banks Canada today announced a multi-year partnership that will assist the almost 800,000 Canadians who rely on local food banks every month. McCain will donate a minimum of $1 million in cash and food over the next thre...

New Brunswick potato growers are playing the waiting game as negotiations for their 2010 contracts continue with McCain Foods Ltd. In mid March, growers learned the Florenceville-based company will cut the amount of potatoes it buys from them for proc...

Today McCain Foods Limited announced the appointment of Dirk Van de Put as Chief Operating Officer, effective May 17th, 2010. In this new role, created as a result of the company’s succession planning efforts, Van de Put will have direct accountability...

Florenceville-based McCain Foods Ltd. is cutting its potato sourcing in New Brunswick by 20 to 30 per cent to respond to lower demand for french fries and other market issues.Weaker U.S. fry consumption, a high loonie, competition from low-priced Euro...

A delicate global balance in potato trading, and the changes tastes of fry-shy boomers, are hammering the Maritimes potato patch, industry experts say. “U.S. people are eating out less these days,” McCain’s Canada spokesperson Calla Farn told the Sta...

Joe Brennan and his fellow potato growers in New Brunswick are bracing for the fallout from the French fry meltdown.Mr. Brennan, who is also the chairman of Potatoes New Brunswick, the province's potato marketing board, says he will have no choice this...

McCain Foods Ltd. is cutting the volume of potatoes it buys from P.E.I. farmers by 20 to 30 per cent because of falling demand for french fries, Agriculture Minister George Webster said Tuesday. The cut may mean the company based in Florenceville, N....

Consumers have a strong aversion to difficult terms they do not understand. This is not a new trend and for many years food companies are working to "clean up their labels". But it seems this trend is gaining importance.   Read this Newsletter

A major plan to beef up potato sales is well underway by the P.E.I. Potato Board and the province, but some of the air leaked out of the tires this week with the announcement that processing companies are cutting back.McCains confirmed it would cut abo...

McCain Foods (Canada) today unveiled a journey that will see the company change its frozen food products to be made from simple ingredients like people would use if they made them from scratch. With the McCain It's all good(TM) commitment, McCain Food...

The P.E.I. government approved a grant of more than $24,000 for McCain Foods Ltd., says the Minister of Innovation. The money was used to retrain 65 of the frozen food and potato processing giant's workers during a shutdown at the Borden-Carleton pla...

I remember hanging out with Jay Gould's family 25 years ago and hearing him talk about starting a business which would initially sell, skin-on french fries and Coca-Cola. I thought it was a bold move for someone who had cut his teeth on one of Canada...