It’s a sad day in Quinte West.
Word came down on Thursday that Saputo Dairy and Cheese in Trenton will be shutting their doors on September 26, putting 200 people out of work.
Mayor Jim Harrison said it’s sad to lose such a great company with hardworking employees.
He says he hopes many of them will remain in Quinte West and find employment here.
The mayor says most are currently dealing with the shock of the news.
Employees will be offered packages or employment at other locations in Ontario or Quebec according to Harrison.
Harrison says if there is something the city can do to help the employees they will be glad to do it.
The company announced it is also closing a facility in Saint John, New Brunswick, impacting another 80 jobs.
The cuts are aimed at improving Saputo’s operation efficiency, and some of the employees will be offered transfers to other dairy plants.
Saputo is one of the top ten dairy processors in the world, a leading cheese manufacturer and fluid milk and cream processor in Canada, the top dairy processor in Australia and the second largest in Argentina.
Saputo was founded in the early 1950s, when the Saputo family left their home town of Montelepre, Sicily in order to start a new life in Canada. They settled in Montreal, Quebec and in 1954, the Saputo family founded their very own company bearing their name.
On August 31, 1998, Saputo acquired all of the outstanding shares of Riverside Cheese and Butter Inc., a specialty cheese manufacturer located in Trenton.
Today, throughout its facilities in Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia and the UK, Saputo transforms approximately 11 billion litres of milk per year into a variety of dairy products for customers and consumers.
