Natural and Organic Food Group, Inc (NOFG) today announced that the company, in a joint venture with PEI Pork Plus, has signed a purchase agreement with HCM Industries, based in Prince Edward Island. Under this agreement, the company will purchase the existing Garden Province Meats facility in Charlottetown.
“This purchase is part of a government-supported industry mission to strengthen the role and prominence of Prince Edward Island in differentiated meat production within the local, national and international natural and organic industry,” said Mario Maillet, President and CEO of NOFG. “This transfer of ownership provides a positive economic impact in a value chain that extends from farm producers through the plant itself to the consumer.”
“This is a great day for the hog industry in Prince Edward Island and I am very excited about the potential for new value added products and markets,” said Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Jim Bagnall. “I look forward to working closely with the new plant owners and with producers to bring about a more sustainable future for the industry.”
Organic food, a $15 billion industry, is one of the fastest growing consumer markets in the world today, but the organic meat segment remains underdeveloped.
Prince Edward Island has a pristine environment with healthy hogs. The Prince Edward Island hog industry has prided itself on maintaining high health status. NOFG is implementing a business model that leverages the unique Prince Edward Island environment to increase differentiated pork sales in Canada, the United States and select global markets as far away as Asia.
Mr. Maillet noted, “The purchase of this plant creates a unique geographic branding strategy for NOFG and extends the reach of Prince Edward Island products into higher value markets around the globe.”
Immediately, NOFG is making an initial investment in upgrading the plant’s technology to increase production efficiencies and output. It is NOFG’s intent to maintain current levels of plant employment and create new job opportunities over time.
NOFG will be assisted through PEI Pork Plus to help Prince Edward Island farmers to modify their farms into niche differentiated pork programs. The pork produced at the plant will be branded under PEI Natural, PEI Organic and PEI Omega 3, trademarks owned by Natural and Organic Food Group Inc.
Natural and Organic Food Group Inc., established in 2004 and headquartered in Quebec City, is a fully integrated, socially responsible leader in the production, processing and distribution of organic and other niche meat and poultry products. NOFG is the first and only company to bring a national and international federally inspected and certified organic meat and poultry program to retailers. NOFG (PEI) Inc. headquartered in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island is a cornerstone in implementing a fully integrated pork value chain.
For more information, contact Mario Maillet, President and CEO of Natural and Organic Food Group Inc., Phone: 418-529-9191, Toll Free: 866-529-9191, Fax: 418-529-9123
Websites: www.naturalorganic.ca or www.peipork.com