New Kosher Chicken Processing Plant Coming to Ontario

New Kosher Chicken Processing Plant Coming To Ontario Title Image

The Kashruth Council of Canada (COR) is pleased to announce that the Chicken Farmers of Ontario(CFO), the regulatory body that oversees the growing and marketing of chicken in Ontario, has approved the application of Premier Kosher Inc., to process kosher certified chicken. Premier Kosher Inc. is a unit of the Premier Group of Companies, an integrated poultry growing, transporting and food processing firm. The processing plant will be located in the town of Abingdon in the Niagara region of Ontario.

“We are extremely pleased that Ontario consumers will now have a local option for their kosher chicken purchasing needs,” said Henry Zantingh, Chair of CFO. “The decision to accept the application of Premier Kosher Inc. is the culmination of tremendous effort on the part of both farmers and industry to find a suitable business partner to own and operate an Ontario kosher chicken processing plant.”

Paul Tzellos, President of Premier Kosher is looking forward to his company being that partner. “This is an exciting opportunity and we look forward to working with the community to ensure that Premier Kosher becomes a trusted and preferred choice for kosher chicken. To that end we are excited and proud to be working with COR – the Kashruth Council of Canada as our kosher certifying body. COR has been a constant partner throughout this process and we appreciate their advocacy on behalf of kosher consumers. They were the voice of Canadian kosher consumers and they ensured that this voice was always heard.”

“Ontario’s Jewish community has been looking forward to welcoming the arrival of a new kosher processing plant for several years,” says COR’s Managing Director, Richard Rabkin. “We know that some consumers have experienced frustration and that is why we have been working tirelessly, advocating on behalf of kosher consumers with our elected officials and the respective regulatory agencies for the establishment of an Ontario based kosher poultry plant. We thank our partners at the Chicken Farmers of Ontario and the Association of Chicken Processors and all of the other stakeholders who helped facilitate this milestone. It was hard work, but well worth it.”

“This is an exciting time for Canadian kosher consumers,” says Rabbi Sholom H. Adler COR’s Kashruth Administrator and Director of Shechita who worked at Chai Poultry for 25 years as the senior Rabbi responsible for Chai’s kosher program. “The Premier Kosher plant is going to be state of the art which will mean a superior product both in quality and kosher standards. No doubt this will require effort, but for COR’s part we look forward to this challenge.”

Premier Kosher Inc. is also being advised by Chuck Weinberg, former owner of Chai Poultry. The Premier Kosher plant is in the process of being customized and retrofitted. They are working towards being operational as soon as possible, January 2017 at the latest, and will have an initial capacity of 50,000 chickens each week. It is expected to employ up to 80 employees.