McCain Scraps Plans For Russian Plant Halfway Through Construction
SAINT JOHN–McCain Foods has put the kibosh on its potato processing facility under construction in central Russia.
It comes two weeks after the company stopped work on the facility on Feb. 24—the same day Russia began its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
“We have now made the decision to discontinue the project entirely,” Charlie Angelakos, McCain’s VP of global external affairs and sustainability said in a statement.
The New Brunswick-based company also announced that it has suspended all shipments of its products into the Russian market.
Angelakos said the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been “deeply concerning to all of us at McCain Foods.”
The news comes less than a year after McCain announced plans to invest 150-million Euros ($210-million CDN) into the production facility in the Tula Oblast region.
The goal of the facility was to localize production in Russia to supply customers in the region with processed French fries and other specialty potato appetizers, rather than import them from other European plants.
Around 200 people were expected to be employed at the plant once it was up and running.
McCain Foods operates in 160 countries around the world, with 51 facilities in local markets.
Brad Perry is the news director with CHSJ/Country 94, Huddle content partners.