Valley Company Plans Capital Upgrades

PepsiCo Foods Canada is planning capital upgrades at its Frito Lay plant in Kentville. The company plans to buy new equipment, such as energy-efficient fryers and heat recovery equipment to improve productivity.

The Kentville site marked its 60th anniversary this year, and this investment is a signal the company plans to be here for years to come.

"We have hard-working, loyal employees, many of them with us for more than 30 years," said Greg Wagner, senior operations manager, PepsiCo Foods Canada. "Now, we will have even better equipment that will make the plant more productive, lower our production costs, and allow us to continue to be successful in this great community."

The company can earn 10 per cent of its investment back, to a maximum of $3 million, through the provincial government's capital rebate program. The provincial rebate is paid after the company invests.

"Once again, we see the private sector leading economic growth," said Economic and Rural Development and Tourism Minister Michel Samson. "The investment is focused on strategic economic development priorities, including productivity and innovation, securing a great future for a company with deep roots in rural Nova Scotia."

The plant employs about 150 full-time and 80 seasonal associates, which puts millions of dollars back into the community.

Each year, the Kentville plant turns 70 million pounds of potatoes into 75 million bags of chips. The plant is one of PepsiCo Food Canada's five potato chip production plants in Canada and the only one in Atlantic Canada.