The combination of recent trends in the agri-food industry and Baxters Canada’s investments in the last several years will allow the company, and its Saint-Hyacinthe plant, to become the largest soup manufacturer in the country.
The company’s management has led various development projects at the Maskoutan plant, which have increased Baxters’ sales figure fivefold in less than 15 years. This growth also doubled its number of employees, from 100 to over 200 for the same time period.
“The Saint-Hyacinthe plant now produces over 95 million cans of soup annually, around three for every Canadian. Our best seller, Aylmer tomato soup, accounts for 31 million of these cans each year,” said the company’s technical director, Etienne Caya.
In addition to its popular Aylmer brand, Baxters Canada makes a wide range of soups under the popular labels Primo and Baxters, as well as a large number of private brands. Its facilities are equipped to produce condensed and ready-to-serve soups, as well as broths, sauces, and ready-to-eat pasta and meals in packets. The industry’s highest safety standards, the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety, are applied. The company is also certified gluten-free and is starting to offer organic products.
André Barnabé, general manager of Saint-Hyacinthe Technopole, added: “Baxters is without question one of the largest creators of manufacturing jobs in the area. Over the last several years, it has made the biggest investments ever recorded in Saint-Hyacinthe. By modernizing its facilities and increasing its production capacity, it is now the Canadian leader in its industry, which is helping put the region on the map. Saint-Hyacinthe Technopole is pleased to have contributed to this success by providing guidance and technical services.”