Canadian mushroom grower changes hands Tuesday, April 5, 2016 by SUSAN MANNAll five locations of Canada’s largest mushroom producer, Highline Produce Limited are staying in business after the company was recently bought by a fresh produce company based in Dublin, Ireland.Fyffes plc, a global leader, producer, shipper and marketer of bananas, melons, and pineapples, bought Highline for C$145 million from United States-based private equity firm, Peak Rock Capital.All of Highline’s 1,150 employees along with its management team led by CEO Glenn Martin are keeping their jobs.Highline has two growing facilities in Leamington, one in Kingsville and one in Wellington (Prince Edward County). The company also has a distribution centre in Montreal. Highline grows white, mini bella and portabella mushrooms that are sold throughout North America. The two Leamington facilities are certified organic and Highline is the world’s largest grower of organic mushrooms.The company was founded in 1961 and markets about 58 million pounds (26.3 million kilograms) of mushrooms annually.Martin says the deal was effective April 1. The purchase by Fyffes “offers some security and more of a global presence because Fyffes is international.”However, the ownership change won’t result in “too much change for us because mushrooms are very perishable and we are in the fresh mushroom business,” Martin says. “Most of our customer base is within a radius of four to eight hours delivery time. We do go farther but it’s not like we will be shipping mushrooms outside North America at this time.”Martin describes the change as “business as usual and management as usual.”Fyffes has been in business for more than 125 years. It has operations in Europe, the United States, Central and South America, a press release from Highline says. Fyffes is the largest importer of winter melons into the United States and is a major player in the banana and pineapple markets. BF Fund merger fears Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame moves to Guelph
Sowing Solutions--Guelph’s Agri-Food Research Gets Federal Spotlight Friday, October 3, 2025 The University of Guelph welcomed two prominent federal representatives for a day of engagement and discovery on Friday, October 3rd. Dominique O’Rourke, Member of Parliament for Guelph, hosted the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, for a comprehensive tour... Read this article online
Downtown Diner Delivers a Taste of Canadian Farming to Ottawa Friday, October 3, 2025 This week, the heart of Canada’s capital was filled with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Canadian agriculture as Sparks Street played host to the Downtown Diner, a pop-up event celebrating Canadian food and the farmers who make it possible. At the center of the conversation was... Read this article online
Poll Reveals Mixed Public Sentiment on BC Ostrich Cull Decision Thursday, October 2, 2025 Farms.com poll shows divided opinions among Canadian farmers on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull. A recent poll conducted on Farms.com's X account @OntAg aimed to capture Canadian farmers' views on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull in British... Read this article online
Effective Strategies for Corn Soybean and Wheat Thursday, October 2, 2025 As reported on the OMAFRA website fieldcropnews.com, effective crop residue management in corn, soybean, and wheat fields is key to profitability and long-term soil health. It begins at harvest, with combines and headers set correctly to size and spread residue evenly across the... Read this article online
New Ontario agrobotics challenge seeking high school submissions Thursday, October 2, 2025 A new competition for Ontario high school students is looking for innovative ways to solve challenges in the ag sector. The AgRobotics Ontario Challenge launched at the end of September. The competition is a collaboration between the Western Fair District, the Ontario Council for... Read this article online