Process improvement project will help company get food safety certification
May 8, 2015– Ste-Marie-St-Raphäel, N.B. – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Belle-ile Fisheries Ltd, a fish processing plant on Lamèque Island, will be improving its processes to attain British Retail Consortium (BRC) Global Standard for Food Safety Certification, thanks to support from the federal and provincial governments.
The Honourable Rob Moore, Regional Minister for New Brunswick and Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency), and the Honourable Bill Fraser, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture and Minister responsible for the Northern New Brunswick Economic Development and Innovation Fund , made the announcement today.
Through this initiative, the company will retrofit its production area with specialized equipment and adopt new processes to eliminate any risk of food contamination at the plant. The company will also hire a consultant to train employees on the new quality assurance system, to ensure that the quality and safety of its food products conform to strict, world-wide food standards.
The Government of Canada, through ACOA’s Business Development Program, is providing a repayable contribution of $223,481 to support this project. The Province of New Brunswick is making a contribution of $106,100, while the company itself is investing $192,004 in the project.
Quick Facts:
- Belle-ile Fisheries Ltd, a subsidiary of Groupe Belle-Ile, has been in operation since 1972.
- The plant in Ste-Marie-St-Raphäel processes snow crab and herring and exports its products to Japan and the United States.
- During the peak snow crab season, the company employs approximately 150 people.
- In 2013, Belle-ile Fisheries Ltd received a $207,500 investment through ACOA’s Business Development Program to purchase high-tech equipment to complete an automated product traceability process and modernize the plant’s freezer system, making it more energy efficient.
Quotes:
“Our Government is committed to opening new markets in order to create jobs and economic opportunities for Canadian businesses. Our support for this project will help Belle-ile Fisheries attain the accreditation they need to remain competitive, expand into new markets and take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Canada – EU Trade Agreement.”
- The Honourable Rob Moore, Regional Minister for New Brunswick, Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
“This investment in Belle-ile Fisheries reflects our commitment to increase our exports of fish and seafood, by helping local companies to become more competitive. It also clearly demonstrates our focus on developing the right conditions for job creation and economic growth to move New Brunswick forward.”
- The Honourable Bill Fraser, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture and Minister responsible for the Northern New Brunswick Economic Development and Innovation Fund
“Belle-ile Fisheries is grateful for the financial support of the federal and provincial governments. With that support, we have been able to make the necessary modifications to our operations and equipment in order to obtain BRC Certification which will allow us to improve our presence on the American and Japanese markets and gain access to the European Union markets.”
- Marc R. Guignard, General Manager, Belle-ile Fisheries Ltd
Associated Links:
Contacts:
Kelsie Corey
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Rob Moore
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
613-941-7241
Lisa Gautreau
Acting Senior Communications Officer
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
506-471-1565
Elaine Bell
Communications Director
Economic Development/ Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries
506-453-8607
Marc R. Guignard
General Manager
Belle-ile Fisheries Ltd
506-344-0920
