Dainty Foods is planning to expand to the United States, but the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) says there is zero risk to the Canadian operation.
"This is really about having the right operations in the right markets to service our customers better," says Dainty Foods CEO James Maitland.
Speaking on AM800's Mornings with Mike and Mike, Maitland says the company is looking to build a 250,000-square-foot facility in the U.S.
He says they're hoping to have it ready by December 2026.
Maitland says the expansion makes a lot of sense for the business and says the company's Windsor operation will continue to serve Canada, while the U.S. site will serve the American market.
He says the company has invested $35 million in the last three years into Canada, expanding the Canadian operation.
"The Canadian operation is continuing to grow; we're opening a new distribution centre here in Windsor that will be fully operational by the end of January," he says. "That's going to add another 30 jobs to the Dainty Foods family here in Windsor."
Maitland says the new distribution centre will add another 30 jobs to the Windsor operation.
"We are looking at about a 90,000 square foot distribution centre opening up just off Central Avenue here at the end of January, and we're just planning on growing Dainty Canada as well," says Maitland.
He says the Canadian operation is growing faster than the company ever anticipated.
"Hearing Dainty investing in the U.S. is only going to make Dainty Canada stronger because the synergies between the two organizations, but there's zero risk for Dainty Canada at all," he says.
Maitland says the company started its investment, and it went live in August 2024.
He says the company added another line and another shift to the Canadian operation in August 2025.
Maitland says the company plans on growing Dainty Foods Canada with a new brand called Time-Wise.
He says Time-Wise will be in stores across Canada in October and will feature microwaveable pastas and microwaveable rice dishes.
Dainty Foods is located in Windsor at 725 Broadway Street near Ojibway Parkway.
It's the country's only rice mill.
The company started as Mount Royal Rice Mills in 1882 in Montreal but moved the rice mill to Windsor in 1967 to be closer to U.S. suppliers.