FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 12, 2017

Cole-Munro Foods Group Inc. Begins Construction on New Larger Facility in St. Thomas

While some may say there are plenty of fish in the sea, the City definitely has one of the best as one of our nation’s top Rainbow Trout/Steelhead processors has decided to grow their business in St. Thomas and invest further in this community.

Scheduled to open in the spring of 2018, construction has begun on the 27,000 square foot facility that will soon change the landscape of the 10 acre lot near the corner of Edward Street and Gaylord Road. “With two stories of glass-enclosed office space at the front of the building containing staff rooms, corporate offices and meeting rooms, the new location will have plenty of curb appeal,” said Mike Newton, co-founder of London-based Michael + Clark Construction. “The design features clear spans of 56 feet to service the needs of the company now and into the future”.

Cole-Munro started off small as a trout processor and distributor in Port Stanley in 1994 and has grown exponentially to where they are today, with owners Geoff and Susan Cole running a processing plant in St. Thomas and trout farms in northern Ontario. “Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector in the world and produces over half of all the fish we eat,” said Susan Cole. “Our company is expanding to meet the growing consumer demand for quality and for local food. “

The move is an exciting one for the 50+ employees who will soon have a new working environment in the City. “Over the years we have had access to a large pool of skilled workers in St. Thomas and surrounding area,“ said Geoff Cole. “This new processing plant will provide upgraded as well as brand new amenities to our staff, ensuring retention of existing employees and incentives for new recruits. We rely on the quality of our employees to produce the best product in the marketplace and we are pleased to continue to grow with them here in St. Thomas.”

Mr. Cole also emphasized the positive working experience with EDC and City staff throughout the decision-making process and pre-construction period saying; “We are encouraged by the City’s commitment to investing in infrastructure, increasing construction projects and improving the downtown area.” This is music to Mayor Heather Jackson’s ears, who was very excited to hear of this project. “Cole-Munro serves as a prime example of how a company can grow here and flourish in our community,” said Mayor Jackson. “We are very fortunate to have them as they continuously make positive contributions to the City on numerous levels and this investment will help ensure that they will continue to do so in the future.”

St. Thomas EDC General Manager, Sean Dyke, noted that “We’ve been working with Cole-Munro on this project for a while now and it is so great for the City that they’ve chosen to expand here. We know companies have choices as to the best strategic location for success, and this shows a high level of confidence in our community, serving as additional proof for other potential investors that St. Thomas is supportive for business.”

For further information, please contact:

Geoff Cole                                                           Sean Dyke
Cole-Munro Foods Group Inc.                             St. Thomas EDC
519.637.6396                                                      519.631.1680 ext. 4104
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