Kellogg's downsizing plan skips grain buying

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

by SUSAN MANN

Kellogg Canada’s grain buying will stay the same despite a planned cut to jobs at its London cereal manufacturing plant.

The company announced it’s cutting 110 full time unionized workers Jan. 1, 2014. The plant currently has 500 unionized workers.

Kris Charles, Kellogg spokesperson, says by email the London plant “plans to operate a more consistent production schedule. We don’t expect any changes to our ingredient purchases.”

The company uses “a variety of grains grown across Canada,” Charles says, but wouldn’t specify what it buys nor how much. “Other details of our supply chain are confidential,” he writes.

The impact of the job cuts on farmers isn’t known. Meghan Burke, spokesperson for Grain Farmers of Ontario, says the organization doesn’t have a comment.

Bob Martin, president of Local 154G of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Union, couldn’t be reached for comment. BF