Monday, July 22, 2013

Schlegel and Cuddy buy Maple Leaf's turkey business


Ernald Enterprise, which is controlled by the Ronald Schlegel family, and Cuddy Farms are buying the turkey farms and hatchery owned by Maple Leaf Foods Inc.
The business was formerly Cold Spring Farms Ltd. which was built by the late Harvey Beaty while he was confined to a wheelchair.
Schneider Corp. bought the business, then Maple Leaf bought Schneider.
The business employs more than 100 people, many of them in the Thamesford area.
Ernald is buying the commercial turkey farms which at one time constituted the largest turkey-farming business in Canada, holding about a quarter of the Ontario market.
Cuddy is buying the hatchery and six breeding farms.
"Divesting our turkey growing operations will allow us to focus on, and direct capital to, growth and innovation in our valued added turkey processing business," said Michael H. McCain, President and CEO, Maple Leaf Foods. 
"The transaction ensures a long-term supply of high quality turkeys at competitive prices. I'd like to thank our people who work in these operations for their dedication to our business. They are joining two organizations who are leaders in Canada's turkey growing industry."
Cuddy Farms is a leading producer and distributor of commercial turkey eggs and poults in Canada. The Company distributes products nationally and to more than twenty countries including Germany, Mexico, Russia, Italy, Turkey, Poland, Austria, Holland, Hungary and the Baltic States.
Errnald Enterprises Ltd. owns 1,200 acres of agricultural land and operates five commercial turkey and chicken growing operations in southern Ontario. They are a current supplier to Maple Leaf Foods' turkey processing operations.

Rob Schlegel said this is the third purchase the family has made from Maple Leaf. It bought chicken farms and quota in the New Dundee area, west of Kitchener, and then about 10 years some turkey farms and quota.

The Ronald Schlegel family will be the largest turkey-farming business in Canada. One of the family members, Tyson Schlegel, is a member of the executive committee of the board of directors of the Turkey Farmers of Ontario marketing board.