PROCESSING PRODUCTION TRENDS IN PEAS AND SNAP BEANS: A COMPARISON BETWEEN ONTARIO, QUEBEC1 AND THE U.S.

摘要

Industry Structure: Ontario and Quebec are Canada's largest vegetable producing provinces with 88 percent of total vegetable production in 1999 (Canadian Vegetable Situation and Outlook). Ontario, Quebec and the U.S. processing vegetable industry areadjusting to increasingly global business environment and demanding consumers. Firms involved in processing vegetables in all three areas are diverse ranging from large to small farms and from small and medium size processing companies. U.S. firms in theMidwest include larger scale processing and large producers. In all three areas, processing vegetable growers produce several crops. Consolidation of the industry continues with plant closings and ownership changes. In Ontario, six processors include: Cobi Foods, Family Tradition Foods (formerly Pillsbury) Nabisco, Omstead Foods (Subsidiary of Heinz Canada) Strathroy (50% ownership by Aliment Carrier) and Townline Processing. In Quebec, the industry is dominated with one firm, Aliment Carriere. This firm operates four plants, including the St. Martine plant (formerly Pillsbury). Nabisco operates one plant that processes beans in Chambly. In the U.S., Pillsbury has focused on brand equity and marketing and has sold its Green Giant plant assets to Seneca. During 2000, the merger of General Mills and Pillsbury was approved and General Mills intends to sell Pillsbury's Green Giant canned vegetable unit by 2002. In addition, Agrilink (Profac) has acquired Michigan Fruits and Vegetables and Dean Foods Frozen Vegetable Division.