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.
