Ultima Foods launches its own brand of yogurt in Canada and reaches an agreement with Yoplait

LONGUEUIL, QC, May 8, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Today, Ultima Foods, a Canadian leader in the manufacturing and marketing of yogurt, made an important announcement regarding its activities for the coming years. Mr. Gerry Doutre, President and CEO of Ultima Foods, indicated that the company will launch its own brand of yogurt in Canada this year, that it has reached a manufacturing agreement regarding Yoplait products, and that it has plans for major investment in its Granby manufacturing plant.

A new brand of yogurt for Ultima Foods
With the support of its two shareholders, Agropur and Agrifoods—two of the largest dairy cooperatives in Canada whose membership includes 4,500 producers—, Ultima Foods will launch its own new brand of yogurt and fresh dairy products in Canada starting in mid-August 2012. This brand will be entirely created and manufactured in Canada and will include a full and original line of products and flavours that suit the tastes of Canadian consumers.

"I am very proud to announce the arrival of our own brand on the market. Thanks to our skilled employees, an unparalleled capacity for creation and innovation, a portfolio of unique recipes and world-class facilities, our brand will be a great success. The Canadian yogurt market is in full growth, and we will solidify our place in this market," stated Mr. Gerry Doutre, President and CEO of Ultima Foods.

Agreement with Yoplait SAS/General Mills
Ultima Foods has also signed a new type of agreement with Yoplait SAS/General Mills, the owners of the Yoplait brand. This agreement will last six years and sets out that, in addition to manufacturing its own brand, Ultima Foods will manufacture Yoplait products in Canada. As of September 2012, the company's Granby plant will produce the same volume of Yoplait products that it currently manufactures.

Major investment in the Granby plant
To adequately meet demand, Ultima Foods will invest $10 million in its Granby plant starting this fall to increase the facility's production capacity by 15 million kg per year. The total capacity of the plant will therefore reach 130 million kg. Further investment will be made depending on the company's production needs.

Ultima Foods—a major player in the Canadian food industry
"Today we are starting a new chapter in our history. We are solidifying our leadership in the industry by launching our own brand of yogurt, by manufacturing Yoplait products for Canada, and by investing heavily in our Granby plant. With the combined manufacturing of products for our brand, for Olympic and for Yoplait, Ultima Foods will remain a major player in the Canadian food industry," concluded Mr. Doutre.

About Ultima Foods
For more than 40 years, Ultima Foods has been a Canadian leader in the manufacturing and marketing of yogurt and fresh dairy products. Owned by the Agropur and Agrifoods dairy cooperatives, the company is headquartered in Longueuil and has 750 employees across the country. It has world-class facilities and produces every year at its Granby plant close to 100 million kilos of fresh dairy products that are distributed across Canada. Having developed a veritable yogurt culture in the country, Ultima Foods makes products that are adapted to the tastes and expectations of Canadian consumers by investing in high standards of quality and innovation. The company also owns and operates Olympic-brand dairy products (www.olympicdairy.com).

For more information about Ultima Foods, visit www.ultimayog.ca or follow us on Facebook.

Jean-Benoît Houde
514 286-2145, ext. 224 or 514 652-4344
[email protected] 

Reeva Waksberg
416 833-9812

B-roll and pictures available on request