DON MILLS, ON, October 2, 2008 -- Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE:KFT) today announced that it intends to close its Vancouver, BC, manufacturing facility by mid-December of 2008 and consolidate Canadian Foodservice Roast and Ground coffee production into another Kraft facility. The 28,000 sq.-ft-plant, located at 395 West 8th Avenue, makes coffee that is sold to restaurants, cafeterias and hotels. The 30 employees were informed of the company's plans earlier today.
"As we studied our production capabilities across our plants that make Canadian Foodservice Roast and Ground coffee, we identified a potential opportunity to consolidate and use our facility equipment more effectively," said Glen Berrington, Vice President of Operations for Kraft Foods. "Going forward, we will be able to meet our customers' needs with production from another plant."
He added that this action is consistent with Kraft's efforts to improve its business performance for the long term.
"This is not a reflection on our employees at Vancouver," he added. "This is a strategic decision having nothing to do with their performance, which has been outstanding. We are committed to working with our employees through this difficult time to help make a smooth transition."
Kraft has more than 5,500 employees in Canada, with over 120 in the province of British Columbia.
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Contact:
Lynne Galia
Kraft Canada
416-441-5610
About Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) is one of the world's largest food and beverage companies, with 2007 revenues of more than $37 billion. For more than 100 years, Kraft has offered consumers delicious and wholesome foods that fit the way they live. Kraft markets a broad portfolio of iconic brands in more than 150 countries, including nine brands with revenues exceeding $1 billion: Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; Oscar Mayer meats; Philadelphia cream cheese; Maxwell House coffee; Nabisco cookies and crackers and its Oreo brand; Jacobs coffees, Milka chocolates and LU biscuits. Kraft is listed in the Standard & Poor's 100 and 500 indexes. The company is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the Ethibel Sustainability Index. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.kraft.com. In Canada, company brands include Kraft Dinner macaroni and cheese, Christie cookies and crackers, and Delissio pizza.