Maple Leaf Foods has reached an agreement to acquire four pig farms in central Saskatchewan, Canada, from a group of companies called Polar Pork.

Under the deal, Maple Leaf Foods will acquire two sow barns and two nursery barns that have the potential to supply around 140,000 pigs.

Maple Leaf Foods Pork Complex president Michael Detlefsen said: “This purchase offers us ready access to some of the healthiest hogs in Saskatchewan that will allow us to enhance our deliveries of high-quality pork to customers in Canada and Asia.

“Bringing these barns into Maple Leaf Foods aligns with our strategy to pursue growth both domestically and abroad.”

The deal would support Maple Leaf Foods’ plans to increase the production capacity of its pork processing plant in Brandon, Manitoba, and ensure quality meat supply to its customers in domestic and overseas markets.

Detlefsen added: “We are very impressed with the skill the Possberg family and the team at Polar Pork have brought to the operation of these barns.

“based on this foundational work, Maple Leaf Foods is well-positioned to build on its strengths and high standards to raise healthy pigs in Saskatchewan and produce high-quality pork.”

Maple Leaf Foods expects to invest up to  $21.7m (C$27m) in the barns over time, which includes acquisition costs and capital investments to enhance the capacity and add further animal care enrichments.

Completion of the deal is subject to satisfaction of closing conditions and expected to take place in June 2022.

In March 2021, Maple Leaf Foods completed the acquisition of a 118,000ft² food processing plant in Indianapolis, US.

The facility was acquired through its wholly owned subsidiary Greenleaf Foods, SPC. The deal was first announced at the start of this year.