The recent announcement that Fine Food Investments (FFI) will soon move into their new facility in DeSable, Prince Edward Island, concludes a two-year partnering arrangement with the PEI Food Technology Centre (FTC) for use of their federally inspected pilot plant.
When FFI began expansion plans in 1993, a federally inspected facility was a necessity in order to sell their pizzas outside provincial boundaries. Locating commercial scale production in the FTC Pilot Plant gave FFI the opportunity to establish sufficient markets before expanding to their own facility.
The FTC worked with Fine Food Investments to ensure that Agriculture and Agri-food Canada criteria were met in all aspects of production, including proper sanitation, packaging, and labelling.
This project has required a major commitment of centre facilities and staff resources. FTC Pilot Plant staff have been available for troubleshooting of systems and equipment throughout the past two years of production. They have also handled the many day-to-day tasks that are involved in having an operation of this size running simultaneously with other centre activities.
FFI now have a proven track record. In 1995, their pizzas were finalists in the frozen food of the year category at the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributers Awards. They were also selected as one of the top food and beverage processors in Canada during the Ernst & Young / Food in Canada focus on leading companies.
"I am very pleased that Fine Food Investments has proven their potential in the frozen pizza market," notes Robert Morrissey, Minister of Economic Development & Tourism, "and that the Food Technology Centre has been able to play an important supporting role in helping them reach their goals."
FTC also provides services, such as nutrition analysis, product development, sensory analysis, and shelf-life testing to companies like FFI to assist with start-ups and production expansions.