Canadian cooperative invests heavily to boost cottage cheese production
Gay Lea Foods has announced an investment of more than $200 million to expand its dairy manufacturing facility in Toronto, Ontario. The project is designed to increase production capacity and help meet the rising demand for high-protein dairy products, including cottage cheese.
The expansion comes as more consumers choose protein-rich foods as part of their health and wellness goals. Growing demand for cottage cheese has created supply challenges across Canada, and the project aims to improve product availability while strengthening the country's dairy processing network.
The investment represents the first major step in Gay Lea Foods' long-term Network for Growth strategy. Through this multi-year initiative, the farmer-owned co-operative plans to modernize and strengthen its manufacturing operations to better serve changing consumer needs and support future growth.
“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 Chief Executive Officer 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 upgraded facility will feature advanced processing technology and modern manufacturing systems. These improvements are expected to increase production efficiency, enhance flexibility, and allow the company to respond more effectively to market demand.
Company leaders say the investment demonstrates confidence in the future of Canadian dairy farming and food production. By expanding its high-protein dairy portfolio, Gay Lea Foods aims to create new opportunities for its farmer-members, employees, and the wider dairy industry.
The project is also expected to benefit the local economy. Once completed in 2028, the expansion could create up to 75 new skilled manufacturing jobs at the Toronto facility.
“For more than 65 years, our farmer-members have invested to build a stronger future for Canadian dairy,” said Andrew Henderson, Chair of the Board at Gay Lea Foods. “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.”
For more than six decades, Gay Lea Foods has been owned and supported by Canadian dairy farmers. The latest investment continues that tradition by strengthening domestic food production and ensuring Canadian milk is processed into products for consumers across the country.
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