Maple Leaf Foods’s Greenleaf Foods subsidiary will acquire and convert a production facility in Indianapolis, US, to expand the firm’s plant-based production capacity.

Greenleaf Foods produces a range of plant-based protein products sold under the Lightlife and Field Roast brands in Canada and the US. The purchase of the new plant comes as the company seeks to increase the production capacity of tempeh, due to ‘growing demand’ for its Lightlife tempeh products.

The acquisition of the 118,000 square foot plant in Indianapolis is expected to close in early April, and the company will then install tempeh production equipment at the site, with an estimated initial capacity of approximately 4.5 million kilograms of tempeh annually.

According to estimates provided by Maple Leaf Foods, the cost of the project is approximately $100 million, and production at the plant is estimated to begin in the first half of 2022. When fully operational, the site will employ approximately 115 people.

A statement from the company claims that, if demand for tempeh continues at expected levels, the site offers flexibility for the company to expand the plant further, with the potential to double capacity.

Michael McCain, president and CEO, said: “Maple Leaf Foods has been purposeful in executing a multi-tiered strategy focused on capital efficiency. To date, we have found ways to leverage the capacity of our existing plant protein manufacturing assets, while successfully utilising footprint in the rest of our network.

“At this juncture, given the high demand for our tempeh products, this Project offers us the ability to deliver incremental capacity in a cost-effective, timely manner in a location that has synergies with our long-term vision.”

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