McCain Foods with a homebase in Florenceville, NB, Canada, has made a major move into the Republic of South Africa.
The world's largest processed food company has signed an agreement to purchase the assets of french fry and vegetable production facilities from Irvin and Johnson, a subsidiary of Anglovaal Industries.
Harrison McCain, chairman, said the agreement will make South Africa a market leader in french fry production and a leading supplier of retail frozen vegetables.
"This milestone acquisition will provide McCain Foods with its first operations in Africa and will further enhance the company's position as the world's largest processor of french fries," McCain said.
Under the agreement, McCain will purchase a modern french fry and potato flake plant in Delmas, 60 k's east of Johannesburg, which was constructed in 1993. Two separate vegetable processing plants, at Springs, southeast of Johannesburg, and George in the eastern part of Cape Province, will also become McCain operations.
Regulatory hurdles were expected to be cleared some time this summer.