Food manufacturer Dr. Oetker is to build a new frozen pizza production facility in London, Ontario, Canada.
The new plant will act as a production hub for the company's North American pizza operations, and will bring over 125 jobs to London and an expected 300 additional jobs to the surrounding area.
The plans are supported through Ontario's Rural Economic Development Program. "Over the past few months, we've worked closely with officials from the Province of Ontario, the City of London and the London Economic Development Corporation," said Dr. Martin Reintjes, executive vice president at Dr. Oetker GmbH, the company’s German parent.
"As a fourth generation family owned and run business we understand the importance of community and we are thrilled to become a part of this thriving community here in London."
The new facility will produce around 50 million frozen pizzas per year for the Canadian and US markets and will source over 24 million pounds of ingredients from Ontario farmers and food processors.
Dr. Oetker Canada has been in operation since 1960 and ranks as one of the top five subsidiaries for the organization which operates in over than 35 countries, with production facilities in fifteen.
The company also operates a manufacturing and R&D facility in Mississauga, Ontario. The new pizza plant is expected to begin production in late 2013.
Dr. Oetker produces a variety of desserts and dry baking mixes as well as frozen pizzas. The Canadian company is a subsidiary of the family-run Oetker Group which is currently led by Richard Oetker, great-grandson of the original founder.
