The 50 employees at Sogeporc and those working at Technical Services under the direction of Étienne Hardy will also become Olymel employees.

As part of these changes, Olymel will also work closely with the Feed Department of La Coop fédérée to meet the needs of both eastern and western Canada.

Lastly, in the context of these changes and in order to better manage these new responsibilities, Olymel has created the position of Vice President, Swine Production, Eastern Canada. This position will be occupied by Robert Brunet as of 27 January.

"The reorganisation we are announcing today reflects the commitment we share with our owners to bring livestock and processing operations together in order to achieve greater coordination of our company's operations. In addition, these changes correspond to an operational logic that reflects Olymel's development in recent years. These new responsibilities will help strengthen synergies arising from the company's expansion, including the acquisition in January of all Canadian assets of Big Sky Farms, the third largest hog producer in Canada, with facilities located in Saskatchewan. We will continue to support Sogeporc's mission, and we are pleased to welcome its entire staff, with whom we will work actively to formulate a development strategy for a more dynamic, robust industry," noted Réjean Nadeau, President and CEO of Olymel

Created over 25 years ago by La Coop fédérée and local cooperatives, Sogeporc has made a significant contribution to the growth of many family-owned hog farms, as well as to the dynamism and success of the pork industry in Quebec and Canada. It has become a leader in its field thanks to the quality technical services it provides to farms and to La Coop network in the areas of feed programmes, profitability and animal health, as well as its proven performance in terms of both genetic quality and high sanitation standards, factors that have contributed to maintaining the industry's competitiveness.

"This reorganisation is the result of a strategic review undertaken jointly with Olymel in order to better respond to changes in our pork industry. We now feel assured that the valuable expertise acquired over the years at Sogeporc and Technical Services in the field of swine production will remain within La Coop fédérée. Sogeporc's mission will be maintained within Olymel, while the cooperative pork industry and proprietary hog programmes, including the Coop certified Pork programme, will be further strengthened," added Claude Lafleur, CEO of La Coop fédérée.