Nortera to close Alberta plant

Nortera is restructuring its Canadian frozen facilities to improve “long-term competitiveness in a market increasingly challenged by international imports.” The company will close its Lethbridge, Alta., facility in June 2026.

Over the coming months, production volumes and certain equipment from the Lethbridge plant will be transferred to the company’s other frozen facilities.

“Closing a facility is never an easy decision, especially given the dedication of our Lethbridge team,” said Hugo Boisvert, CEO of Nortera. “Current market pressures have made it essential for us to consolidate our operations. By optimizing our manufacturing footprint, we are securing the future and the competitiveness of Nortera.”

The transition will affect approx. 70 employees.

This decision also impacts the company’s long-standing relationships with local partners in Alberta. Johnson Fresh Farms, which produces fresh peas and Taber corns that were largely bought by Nortera and processed in their Lethbridge facility, now has to find new buyers or change their production plans. In a recent Facebook post, it expressed the impact of Nortera’s decision on the region.

Nortera’s decision comes on the heels of a recent a trade enquiry launched by Canada on global imports of frozen and canned vegetables. The enquiry will determine if increased imports of these products are causing, or threatening to cause, serious injury to Canadian vegetable growers and processors.

Last year, Nortera acquired the Green Giant and Le Sieur brands in Canada from U.S.-based B&G Foods. Nortera has been the exclusive producer of Green Giant and Le Sieur in Canada for 30+ years. With the closure of the Lethbridge plant, it is expected that the Green Giant and Le Sieur branded products will be manufactured at Nortera’s facilities in Tecumseh, Ont., and Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu, Que.