McCain's investment will include a 32,000-square-foot expansion to its Florenceville-Bristol fry plant.

FLORENCEVILLE-BRISTOL, N.B. — McCain Foods (Canada) said it will invest $65 million to expand its french fry facility in Florenceville-Bristol, including the addition of a new production line to handle demand for hash brown patties and other potato products. The investment also will include a 32,000-square-foot expansion to the existing fry plant, new manufacturing equipment and technology, and the addition of 40 to 50 new jobs.

Jeffery DeLapp, regional president, North America for McCain, said the new production line will allow McCain to better meet the needs of its retail and food service customers in Canada, the United States and other export markets.

Jeffery DeLapp, regional president of North America for McCain

“Hash browns and other specialty products are the fastest-growing segment of the potato market,” Mr. DeLapp said. “This investment will help us continue to grow our North American and export businesses and just as importantly, allow us to support our customers’ growth targets as well.”

Dale McCarthy, vice-president of integrated supply chain, North America, said the expansion will stimulate economic growth in the area and will have a significant impact on New Brunswick potato growers.

“We are probably going to need an additional 4,000 acres of potatoes or more to feed the new production line,” Mr. McCarthy said. “We will obviously buy all that we can locally, but we may have to even reach across borders to meet our needs.”

The expansion includes the addition of a new production line to handle demand for hash brown patties and other potato products.

Mr. McCarthy added that the $65 million investment is McCain’s biggest single investment in any Canadian facility since 2008, when the company opened a french fry facility in Florenceville-Bristol to replace the first plant ever built by the company in 1957.