This artist’s conceptual drawing shows what the expanded Gay Lea manufacturing facility in Toronto will look like when completed. Courtesy Photo
TORONTO – Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd. is investing more than $200 million to expand its Clayson Road dairy manufacturing facility in Toronto, with the project expected to increase production of cottage cheese and other high-protein dairy products and create as many as 75 new jobs.
The farmer-owned dairy co-operative announced the investment Aug. 11, describing it as the first major milestone in an approximately $450-million, multi-year strategy to expand and modernize its Canadian manufacturing network.
The expansion is expected to be completed in 2028.
Gay Lea Foods said the project is intended in part to address what it describes as a national shortage of cottage cheese, a product that has seen growing demand as consumers look for affordable, high-protein foods.
The expanded facility will incorporate new processing technology and modern manufacturing equipment aimed at increasing production capacity, improving productivity and providing greater flexibility in responding to changes in consumer demand.
“This investment reflects our confidence in the future of Canadian dairy and in Gay Lea Foods’ role in helping shape it,” said Suzanna Dalrymple, president and CEO of Gay Lea Foods.
“That future will be built on Canadian dairy farms and in modern processing facilities equipped to respond to evolving consumer preferences.”
The company said the investment will expand production across its high-protein dairy portfolio, while creating additional opportunities for its farmer-members and employees.
Gay Lea Foods is owned by approximately 1,200 dairy farmers in Ontario and Manitoba. The co-operative said the expansion will strengthen its processing capabilities while supporting the broader Canadian dairy industry.
Andrew Henderson, chair of the Gay Lea Foods board, said the project builds on more than six decades of investment by the co-operative’s farmer members.
“For more than 65 years, our farmer-members have invested to build a stronger future for Canadian dairy,” said Henderson.
“Expanding a facility that transforms Canadian milk into a product sold exclusively to Canadian consumers, is a natural extension of our co-operative’s legacy.”
The Clayson Road expansion is part of Gay Lea Foods’ broader Network for Growth strategy, which involves approximately $450 million in planned investments to strengthen and modernize its Canadian manufacturing network.
The company said the strategy is intended to ensure its facilities can respond to changing consumer preferences while creating long-term value for its farmer owners.
The Toronto project will add skilled manufacturing positions as production capacity increases, with up to 75 new jobs expected at the facility.
Gay Lea Foods was established in 1958 and produces dairy products and ingredients under brands including Gay Lea, Nordica, Salerno, Ivanhoe and Bothwell Cheese.
The co-operative said the investment reflects its focus on expanding Canadian processing capacity at a time when demand for high-protein dairy products, including cottage cheese, continues to grow.
