McCain Foods Canada has signed a deal to sell its packaged juice business to Quebec juice company A. Lassonde for an undisclosed sum.
The operations, referred to as its “aseptic beverage” business, involve McCain’s Old South, Zwak and Junior Juice lines of single-serving and large juice boxes. McCain keeps its Old South, McCain and Cool Quenchers frozen juice product lines.
The deal, which is expected to close early next month, transfers plants at Calgary, Toronto and Grand Falls, N.B. to Lassonde. All Calgary staff will be offered jobs with Lassonde, no cutbacks are expected in Toronto and about 25 positions in Grand Falls are to be cut after the sale is completed, McCain said in a release Thursday.
Quebec-based Lassonde operates plants in three provinces and sells juices and drinks across Canada under brand names including Rougemont, Oasis, SunLike and Fairlee. It also makes Tetley, Sun-Maid and Allen’s drinks under license. The company said it recently started expanding into the northeastern U.S. and other countries.
