Burnaby residents looking for good jobs will have more of them to choose from in the near future.
That’s because plant-based company Daiya Foods is moving into Burnaby with construction of a huge 400,000-square-foot facility at 3100 Production Way.
Renovations are still underway on the facility, which used to be a warehouse for a big furniture company. (I was supposed to tour the new facility, but got waylaid by some breaking news events.)
Now it will produce a variety of plant-based food products such as pizzas and cheese for Daiya, employing hundreds of people.
“This new facility will allow Daiya to greatly expand its production of plant-based foods, bring 300+ jobs to the city of Burnaby and create an estimated 100+ new jobs over the next few years,” said a news release.
Founded in B.C., Daiya Foods is a market-leading manufacturer of plant-based foods that are dairy, gluten, peanut and soy free. The company is focused on providing options for those with severe allergies as well as those who have chosen to avoid consuming dairy products for personal or environmental reasons. Their product lines include dairy-free cheeze, cheezy mac, deluxe cheeze sauces, frozen dessert bars, pizza, yogurt, cheeze cake, salad dressings and burritos. Daiya products are sold in tens of thousands of stores across Canada, the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Australia and Hong Kong.
Spurred by increased global demand for plant-based foods, Daiya’s new facility will increase its production footprint from 65,000 to 400,000 square feet and be one of the largest food production facilities of its kind in the province. In addition to food production, the new building will also house Daiya’s corporate headquarters, innovation centre and warehouse. Daiya expects the new facility to be operational in the latter half of 2020.
