Heinz closing Ontario plant in 2014, affecting more than 700 jobs

After more than a century operating in the heart of Ontario’s tomato country, ketchup-maker Heinz Canada is shutting down its plant in Leamington next year.

The food manufacturer and processor said the decision will cut 740 jobs over the next six to eight months.

Heinz has been in Leamington, Ont. since 1909, after choosing the city for its first expansion outside the U.S.

Heinz said production will now be shifted to factories in the U.S. and Canada.

“We reached this decision after thoroughly exploring extensive alternatives and options,” said Heinz spokesman Michael Mullen in an email. “Heinz fully appreciates and regrets the impact our decision will have on employees and the communities in which these factories are located.”

The company also said it would close its manufacturing facilities in Florence, S.C., costing 200 jobs; and Pocatello, Idaho, which will affect 410 positions.

“Our decision to consolidate manufacturing across North America is a critical step in our plan to ensure we are operating as efficiently and effectively as possible,” he wrote.

In total, Heinz is eliminating 1,350 positions across Canada and the U.S.

Earlier this year, a consortium led by American billionaire Warren Buffet bought the company.

Fast food chain McDonald’s announced last month that it was ending its relationship with Heinz because they had named former Burger King CEO Bernardo Hees as their president.

The company is best known for processing ketchup and condiments, infant foods, pasta sauces, canned beans and pasta, and specialty sauces and salad dressings. Heinz Canada is a division of H.J. Heinz Company, which is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa.