Lactalis Canada Invests in Distribution Center in Oshawa, Ontario; Mark Taylor and Eric Seguin Share

A long-term lease has been signed by Lactalis Canada, giving them access to a new distribution center in Oshawa, Ontario. The facility will give the dairy supplier greater capacity for its cheese and tablespreads supply chain network, enabling further growth of its brands.

“Lactalis Canada’s new facility in Oshawa will become the largest distribution center, from a capacity standpoint, for Lactalis Group globally,” said Mark Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lactalis Canada. “This bold step exemplifies Lactalis Canada’s growth ambitions in Canada as a dairy leader and, more importantly, reinforces our continued commitment and investment in the country and communities in which we operate.”

This 379,000-square-foot distribution center will consolidate multiple shipping locations used for the cheese and tablespreads category, including the company’s internally operated Belleville, Ontario, distribution center. According to a release, construction will begin immediately, and the facility is set to open in Q4 2024.

Some key features of the facility include:

• Zero-carbon ready with the potential to be Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) certified
• Source of energy will be fully on the Ontario power grid with no additional reliance on non-renewable energy sources
• Use of energy-efficient lighting controls, equipment, and high insulation values will reduce the power load imposed on the refrigeration system
• Heat generated from the refrigeration system will be fully reclaimed and used to heat the facility’s offices and the truck apron to melt snow for safety reasons
• White roof will reduce heat island effect
• Solar panels on the roof in a future phase will provide renewable power to partially or completely offset reliance on the power grid under certain conditions

The facility will create approximately 80 jobs in Oshawa and the surrounding region and will join Lactalis Canada’s workforce of more than 4,200 employees across 30 operating sites in Canada.

“The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is the optimal hub for this part of our supply chain network across Canada,” said Eric Seguin, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, Lactalis Canada. “The Oshawa distribution center is poised to meet the current needs and future demands of our business and customers, while its sustainable design will transform our network effectiveness and contribute to Lactalis Canada’s ESG agenda in reducing its carbon footprint.”

Deli Market News is the place for more updates on this facility and others in the works.