Maple Leaf to Close Two U.S. Plant-Based Meat Plants

Maple Leaf Foods will wind down its plant-based meat plants in Seattle and Turners Falls, Massachusetts, and move U.S. production to Indianapolis. The transition is expected to finish by the fourth quarter of 2027, the company said September 22.

The phased shift will take about 12 to 18 months. Production will continue at both sites during the transition, while Maple Leaf invests in Indianapolis and adds employees there.

Chief Executive Curtis Frank said declining volumes have left the company’s three plant protein facilities substantially underused. He said maintaining all three at current utilization creates costs that are not sustainable over the long term.

Maple Leaf did not disclose how many employees may be affected. It said it would support workers and consider openings at other facilities where feasible.

The Indianapolis site will become the company’s single Plant Protein Centre of Excellence. Maple Leaf says concentrating production there should improve capacity use, reduce operational complexity and make its plant protein business more profitable.

The closures reshape production for brands including Lightlife and Field Roast, but Maple Leaf says the move is not a retreat from the category. The company recently brought Yves Veggie Cuisine back to Canadian grocery shelves, and says the brand’s added volume can help scale production in Indianapolis.

Recent results show pressure in a wider business segment, though not plant protein alone. In the second quarter, Maple Leaf’s Prepared Foods sales fell 2% year over year, as lower volumes and increased trade promotion spending weighed on sales.

The company framed the consolidation as part of its Fuel for Growth plan to simplify operations and improve profitability. Its next test is moving production without disrupting customers, while expanding Indianapolis to support its plant-based brands.