HENDERSONVILLE, N.C., Aug. 6, 2024
/PRNewswire/ - Lassonde Industries Inc. (TSX: LAS.A) unveiled its
newly expanded and enhanced beverage manufacturing facility in
Hendersonville, North Carolina,
which includes the addition of a new single serve aseptic juice
production line and a 104,000 sq. ft. distribution center.
These improvements are thanks to a USD$53
million investment and delivers on Lassonde's pledge to
customers and consumers to provide new and more of its great
tasting products and convenient packages that make everyday life
easier and more delicious.
"The expansion and improvements at the Hendersonville facility demonstrate Lassonde's
commitment to a growth strategy that builds long term value by
continuously seeking new ways we can meet customer needs,
particularly in the U.S. market," said Vince Timpano, President and
Chief Operating Officer of Lassonde Industries. "Our investment in
Hendersonville will produce
immediate and long-term benefits including higher volumes and more
variety of the products consumers enjoy and have come to expect
from us."
Lassonde is now operating its first aseptic single serve line in
the U.S. which offers personal convenience with 10oz and 16oz
beverage sizes that come in handy six, 12 and 24-pack solutions for
consumers on the go. Aseptic processing and packaging also delivers
a great tasting product while lowering the amount of plastic used
and reducing water and energy usage during production.
In addition, a new 104,000 sq. ft. distribution center will
increase overall distribution capacity. Together, these
improvements are helping to make Lassonde's operations more
sustainable.
For current and future employees, the expansion in Hendersonville represents not only 30
additional full-time positions but also a workplace featuring
state-of-the-art facilities with a strong focus on safety as well
as opportunities to learn new skills and build careers with
Lassonde. "Our teams of employees came together to share their
expertise and turn this vision into reality," added Vince Timpano.
"I want to thank them all for their dedication, hard work and
innovative thinking, which was instrumental in bringing this
project to fruition." For customers, Hendersonville serves as a model for
Lassonde's goal to work more efficiently while delivering products
consumers can count on for quality and price.
About Lassonde
Lassonde Industries Inc. is a leader in the food and beverages
industry in North America. The
Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets a wide range of
private label and national brand products, including ready-to-drink
beverages, fruit-based snacks as well as frozen juice concentrates.
It is also a leading producer of cranberry sauces and specialty
food products such as pasta sauces, soups and fondue broths and
sauces. The Corporation also produces, imports and markets selected
wines from several countries of origin and produces and markets
apple cider and cider-based drinks.
The Corporation is active in two market segments:
- Retail sales consist of sales to food retailers and wholesalers
such as supermarket chains, independent grocers, superstores,
warehouse clubs, major pharmacy chains; and
- Food service sales consist of sales to restaurants, hotels,
hospitals, schools, and wholesalers serving these
institutions.
The Corporation operates 18 plants located in Canada and the
United States and produces its superior quality products
through the expertise of over 2,700 full-time equivalent employees.
To learn more, visit www.lassonde.com.
Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains "forward-looking information" and the
Corporation's oral and written public communications that do not
constitute historical fact may be deemed to be "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities
law. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited
to, statements on the Corporation's objectives and goals and are
based on current expectations, projections, beliefs, judgments, and
assumptions based on information available at the time the
applicable forward-looking statement was made and considering the
Corporation's experience combined with its perception of historical
trends.
Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words
such as "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may",
"will", "project", "should", "could", "would", "believe", "plan",
"intend", "design", "target", "objective", "strategy", "likely",
"potential", "outlook", "aim", "goal", and similar expressions
suggesting future events or future performance in addition to the
negative forms of these terms or any variations thereof. All
statements other than statements of historical fact included in
this document may constitute a forward-looking statement.
Various factors or assumptions are applied by the Corporation in
elaborating the forward‑looking statements. These factors and
assumptions are based on information currently available to the
Corporation, including information obtained by the Corporation from
third parties. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions
considered by the Corporation to support these forward-looking
statements may prove to be incorrect in whole or in part.
The significant factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from the conclusions, forecasts or projections
reflected in the forward-looking statements contained herein
include, among other things, risks associated with the following:
deterioration of general macroeconomic conditions, including
international conflicts, which can lead to negative impacts on the
Corporation's suppliers, customers, and operating costs; the
availability of raw materials and packaging and related price
variations (including the prices of orange juice and orange
concentrates, key commodities for the Corporation, which have
continued to trade above historical highs for the past several
months and show no sign of favourable change); loss of key
suppliers or supplier concentration; disruptions in or failures of
the Corporation's information technology systems, as well as the
development and performance of technology; cyber threats and other
information-technology-related risks leading to business
disruptions, confidentiality, data integrity, and business email
compromise-related fraud; the successful deployment of
the Corporation's multi-year strategy; the Corporation's ability to
maintain strong sourcing and manufacturing platforms and efficient
distribution channels; fluctuations in the prices of inbound and
outbound freight, the impact of oil prices (and derivatives
thereof) on the Corporation's direct and indirect costs along with
the Corporation's ability to transfer those increases through
higher prices or other means, if any, to its customers in
competitive market conditions and considering demand elasticity;
climate change and disasters causing higher operating costs and
capital expenditures and reduced production output, or impacting
the availability, quality or price volatility of key commodities
sourced by the Corporation; the scarcity of labour and the related
impact on the hiring, training, developing, retaining and reliance
of personnel together with their productivity, employment matters,
compliance with employment laws across multiple jurisdictions, and
the potential for work stoppages due to non-renewal of collective
bargaining agreements or other reasons; the successful deployment
of the Corporation's health and safety programs in compliance with
applicable laws and regulations; serious injuries or fatalities,
which could have a material impact on the Corporation's business
continuity and reputation and lead to compliance-related costs;
disputes with significant suppliers; the increasing concentration
of customers in the food industry, providing them with significant
bargaining power particularly on the Corporation's selling prices;
the implementation, cost and impact of environmental sustainability
initiatives as well as the cost of remediating environmental
liabilities; changes made to laws and rules that affect the
Corporation's activities, particularly in matters of tax and
customs duties, as well as the interpretation thereof, and new
positions adopted by relevant authorities; the ability to adapt to
changes and developments affecting the Corporation's industry,
including customer preferences, tastes, and buying patterns, market
conditions and the activities of competitors and customers; failure
to maintain the quality and safety of the Corporation's products,
which could result in product recalls and product liability claims
for misbranded, adulterated, contaminated, or spoiled food
products, along with reputational damage; risks related to
fluctuations in interest rates, currency exchange rates, liquidity
and credit, stock price and pension obligations; the incurrence of
restructuring, disposal, or other related charges together with the
recognition of impairment charges on goodwill or long-lived assets;
the sufficiency of insurance coverage; and the implications and
outcome of potential legal actions, litigation or regulatory
proceedings to which the Corporation may be a party. The
Corporation cautions readers that the foregoing list of factors is
not exhaustive.
The Corporation's ability to achieve its sustainability targets
and goals is further subject to, among other factors, its ability
to access and implement all technology necessary to achieve them as
well as the development, deployment and performance of technology
and environmental regulation. The Corporation's ability to achieve
its environmental, social and governance risk commitments is
further subject to, among other factors, its ability to leverage
its supplier relationships.
The assumptions, expectations, and estimates involved in
preparing forward-looking statements and risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ materially from
forward-looking statements are discussed in the Corporation's
materials filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities
from time to time, including information about risk factors that
can be found in Section 19 - "Uncertainties and Principal Risk
Factors" of the Corporation's MD&A for the year ended
December 31, 2023. Readers should
review this section in detail.
All forward-looking statements included herein speak only as of
the date hereof. Unless required by law, the Corporation does not
undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events, or otherwise. All forward-looking statements
contained herein are wholly and expressly qualified by this
cautionary statement.
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SOURCE Lassonde Industries Inc.
