Maple Leaf Foods to Establish New Distribution Centre in Puslinch Township, Southwestern Ontario

Selects DB Schenker to operate Distribution Centre

TSX: MFI
www.mapleleaffoods.com

TORONTO, March 29, 2012 /CNW/ - Maple Leaf Foods (TSX:MFI) today announced it has chosen Puslinch Township, in the County of Wellington, as the location for a new distribution centre that will operate as the Company's prepared meats distribution hub for central and eastern Canada. DB Schenker has been selected as the third-party logistics provider with responsibility for its operations.

The 282,000 square foot distribution centre will combine ambient, refrigerated and frozen products into one facility. The centre will be built and owned by a third-party investor and leased by Maple Leaf Foods.  The location is in proximity to Maple Leaf Foods' eastern prepared meats facilities including the 402,000 square foot facility currently under construction in Hamilton, and provides ready access through the 400 series highways.

"This is another important step in the implementation of our value creation plan, details of which were announced in October 2011," said Michael McCain, President and CEO, Maple Leaf Foods. "This new facility will simplify our distribution network and significantly increase our supply chain efficiencies."

The company will now proceed with the appropriate regulatory approvals with construction expected to commence this spring. It will be commissioned in the first half of 2013, with the consolidation of its existing distribution centres in Moncton, Burlington, and Kitchener to be completed by 2014.

"This facility will bring significant benefits to our local economy, providing sustainable jobs and putting Puslinch Township on the map for even more investments from leading companies like Maple Leaf Foods," said Township of Puslinch Mayor Dennis Lever.

"We are delighted to partner with Maple Leaf Foods, one of Canada's leading consumer packaged food companies, and play a key role in its operations," said Eric Dewey, CEO, Schenker of Canada Limited. "This significant partnership expands our existing strength in the fast-moving consumer packaged goods market, demonstrating our commitment to providing logistics expertise to market-leading companies world-wide."

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. is a leading food processing company, headquartered in Toronto, Canada. The Company employs approximately 19,500 people at its operations across Canada and in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Asia. The Company had sales of $4.9 billion in 2011.

Maple Leaf Foods
Investor Contact: Nick Boland
VP, Investor Relations: 416-926-2005

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