McCain to invest in potato production in France

McCain Foods, the Canada-based frozen potato products giant, is to invest more than €350m ($377.8m) in France to develop production facilities and strengthen its competitiveness there.

The company said it will invest more the amount by 2028 in its three production sites in Harnes and Béthune villages in Pas-de-Calais and Matougues village in the Marne region.

The Canadian group said it aims to step up its presence in France with the project and “anticipate the future needs of the French market”. The company said the move a “strengthens the competitiveness and sustainability of its production facilities in France”.

The capex will be rolled out over a number of years, starting in early summer 2024. It will ultimately increase production capacity by almost 25%, said the group.

The step follows €125m worth of investment over rthe last eight years in its three production sites in the country.

Today, the three sites process approximately 1m tons of potatoes per year, which the investment will increase to 1.3m tons. The company currently produces 600,000 tons of finished products in France, which will grow to approximately 750,000 tons after the investment.

Max Koeune, CEO of the company  said the group intends to continue to grow in France. He said the move „illustrates our commitment to all our partners in France: from our 800 partner farmers to our distributors, restaurateurs, customers, consumers and our 1,000 employees”.

Just Food