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Champion Celebrates New Kitchen
Pet Age Staff //January 29, 2020//
Listen to this articlePress release: Champion Petfoods
Champion Petfoods, makers of the award-winning ORIJEN and ACANA dog and cat food brands, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate their new 421,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art NorthStar Kitchen in Acheson, Alberta, Canada. The new kitchen will support Champion’s global position of pet food innovation and will help the company meet the brands’ growing demand in nearly 100 countries.
“The NorthStar Kitchen brings the world’s best pet food technology back to where our story began, right here in Alberta,” said Blaine McPeak, Champion CEO. “Alberta’s world-class suppliers, skilled labor force and friendly investment climate provides Champion the opportunity to continue to invest and grow here at home.”
“With the NorthStar Kitchen now complete and operational, Champion Petfoods is ready to take on new opportunities,” said Tanya Fir, minister of economic development, trade and tourism. “Tremendous benefits will result from Champion’s presence in Alberta for many, many years to come. Our government looks to the future with confidence, optimism and great anticipation of Champion Petfoods’ continued success.”
“Champion has successfully marketed great, Alberta-made products in the highly competitive international pet food market,” said Devin Dreeshen, minister of agriculture and forestry. “Their commitment to sourcing local ingredients, providing local jobs, and supporting the local economy is outstanding.”
At operation the kitchen will employ approximately 200 employees and greatly enhance Champion’s capacity. As a global food safety leader, the kitchen was custom designed and fitted for safely handling multiple fresh and local ingredients. Like its ingredients, Champion is committed to sourcing the highest percentage of procurement of construction, equipment and services regionally that resulted in a construction material spend of 93 percent in Alberta and 97 percent in Canada, with 375 construction jobs on site at peak of construction.
