Fruit and vegetable preserving and speciality food manufacturing: NAICS 3114

Overview

Ontario’s fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing sector is an important contributor to a wide array of food products. This sector accounts for over 8% of the food and beverage manufacturing sector’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ^{footnote 1[1]}. The two fruit and vegetable sub-sectors are:

• frozen food manufacturing
• fruit and vegetable canning, pickling and drying

2020 Key indicators

In 2020:

• the fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing sector was responsible for $1.15 billion in GDP, which is an increase of $144 million over the last five years^{footnote 1[1]}
• there were 224 fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing businesses in Ontario, which is a decrease of 7.8% over the last five years ^{footnote 2[2]}
• there were over 5,800 people employed in the fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing sector. Employment in this sector has decreased by 585 or 9% over the last five years ^{footnote 3[3]}
• the fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing sector was responsible for $3.04 billion in revenue from goods manufactured, which is a 28.3% growth rate over the last five years ^{footnote 4[4]}
• there were $3 billion in exports and $984 million of products imported into the province. The United States is our main export market, followed by China and Philippines ^{footnote 5[5]}

There are over 3,500 Ontario fruit and vegetable farms who produce over 125 different fruits and vegetables crops which presents an estimated annual farm gate value of $2.6 billion ^{footnote 38[38]}.

Ontario at a glance

Ontario’s fruits and vegetables preserving and specialty food manufacturing industry has been able to provide a wide range of food products to consumers.

Fruit and vegetable canning, pickling and drying

Bonduelle Group is a family business that was established in 1853 and serves as Canada’s leading processor of canned fruits and vegetables with eight plants across Canada and over 250 Canadian employees. Bonduelle produces quality products by selecting the best local crops ^{footnote 39[39]}.

Highbury Canco is an industry leader in the food manufacturing industry, supplementing third-party logistics in its capabilities. Highbury can craft high quality, nutritious and great tasting foods for consumers to experience ^{footnote 40[40]}.

Frozen food manufacturing

Dr. Oetker Canada produces frozen pizzas from its London and Mississauga facilities. The success of Dr. Oetker stems from the constant drive towards continual innovation and its iconic Ristorante pizza which has endured an overwhelming amount of success in the marketplace ^{footnote 41[41]}.

Marsan Foods is a privately owned company located in Toronto that manufactures frozen entrees and serves the Canadian markets from its first-class Global Food Safety Intitative (GFSI) operating facility. Marsan is recognized as a North American top supplier of private label and customized meals that serve the retail, foodservice, health care and airline industries ^{footnote 42[42]}.

Morrison Lamothe Inc. is known for manufacturing frozen prepared foods for national companies and distributing them through retail and foodservice channels. The company’s catalogs include pastry-enrobed products such as hand-helds and meat pies ^{footnote 43[43]}.

Investment activities

Florentina Foods Ltd. opened a 61,753 ft² production facility in Orangeville in 2020. The $20 million investment includes a state-of-the-art research and development facility. Florentina Foods Ltd. specializes in the manufacturing of frozen entrees and other food products for retail and food services clients throughout North America ^{footnote 44[44]}.

Highbury Canco has completed the $16.8 million expansion at its 2.1 million ft² facility ^{footnote 45[45]}.

In 2018, Ontario invested up to $8.5 million in Bonduelle’s $79.8 million facility expansion project though the Jobs and Prosperity Fund (JPF) – Food and Beverage Growth Fund ^{footnote 46[46]}.

Also in 2018, Ontario partnered with Dr. Oetker Canada to invest up to $7 million in boosting the local economic growth in London, Ontario through the JPF – Food and Beverage Growth Fund ^{footnote 47[47]}.

Trends

Trends in this sector include:

• fruit and vegetable producers continuing to innovate around consumer convenience needs ^{footnote 48[48]}
• increased consumption of plant protein, clean label, halal and other specialty certification foods^{footnote 48[48]}
• North Americans wanting quick and simple fruit and vegetable products^{footnote 48[48]}
• food guides and healthy eating promoting more vegetable consumption. More opportunities continue to focus on health, new cuisine and flavour options ^{footnote 49[49]}
• the overall demand for fruits and vegetables continuing to grow with fresh reclaiming growth that was stalled during the pandemic^{footnote 48[48]}