Our history
Canada Packers traces its roots back almost 100 years.
As a new business in 2025, we’re building off our strong foundation and a legacy of innovation to supply sustainably produced, premium quality pork.
We have transformed and adapted over the years. We are proud to be part of Canada’s food history.
As one of North America's largest producers of Raised Without Antibiotics (RWA) pork, we meet growing global demand with trusted, traceable, and ethically raised protein.
Tracing our food story
Canada Packers traces its roots back almost 100 years. Our origins go back to 1927 in Toronto, Ontario.
The Canada Packers brand first appeared in 1927, supplying pork products to satisfy Canada’s emerging appetite for high-quality meats. Years later, Canada Packers joined Maple Leaf Mills Limited in 1991 to create Maple Leaf Foods, Canada’s largest food processor.
Maple Leaf Foods continued processing pork in three locations across Canada until 2024 when it was announced that Maple Leaf Foods would be separating its pork business. In 2025, Canada Packers relaunched as one of North America’s largest producers of Raised Without Antibiotics (RWA) pork, meeting growing global demand for sustainably produced, premium quality, value-added pork.
Our journey through history
Our journey reflects Canada’s food evolution. Canada Packers joined Maple Leaf Mills Limited in 1991 to create Maple Leaf Foods, building one of Canada’s largest food processing operations. For decades, we continued processing premium pork across Canada, developing the expertise and capabilities that position us as industry leaders today.
On October 1, 2025, Canada Packers completed the spin-off from Maple Leaf Foods and launched as a new independent public company. This independence allows us to focus exclusively on what we do best: producing the world's finest sustainable pork and pursuing our ambitious vision to be the global standard in sustainable pork.
We are not replicating the old model of meat – we are reshaping it. We create future-ready protein by blending tradition with innovation to align with shifting consumer preferences and global demand while building a company where passionate people can build meaningful careers. We are making meat right.
Milestones that shaped our success
Canada Packers brings a strong heritage of trusted pork production. Each milestone in our journey strengthens our ability to serve customers, create opportunities for our teams, and deliver value for our stakeholders.
Click through the timeline to learn about key moments in our evolution.
1927
Canada Packers is founded through a merger of several Toronto-based meat packers, becoming Canada’s largest food processor and establishing our commitment to premium quality.
1991
Strategic merger with Maple Leaf Mills creates Maple Leaf Foods, expanding our reach and capabilities across Canadian food production.
1995
Wallace McCain, co-founder of McCain Foods, acquires Maple Leaf Foods, driving strategic growth and modernization that enhanced our competitive position.
1996-1998
The Lethbridge, Alberta plant is acquired and retrofitted to become a specialized Japanese-style processing facility, establishing our premium chilled pork expertise.
1999
The Brandon, Manitoba plant is built as a state-of-the-art facility, now serving as our largest production centre with industry-leading capabilities.
2008
Network optimization and Brandon double-shifting increases capacity and efficiency, strengthening our ability to meet growing demand.
2014 to 2024
Strategic shift toward premium, sustainable pork production for international markets, particularly Japanese customers seeking fresh, chilled products.
2025
On October 1, 2025, Canada Packers completed the spin-off from Maple Leaf Foods and launched as a new independent public company and a global leader in sustainably produced, premium quality, value-added pork focused exclusively on becoming the global standard in sustainable pork.