Wallaceburg and Chatham-Kent got a huge financial boost with the announcement from Whyte’s Foods they are opening a food processing facility here next year. 
In fact, the work on the building on Baseline road has begun as they turn it into a pickle processing plant.
Wallaceburg is the company’s first expansion into Ontario, and President Elisabeth Kawaja says they love this area.
“We are so impressed by the community here, there is an amazingly robust agriculture industry, which helps us tremendously,” Kawaja explains. “We’ve had great relationships with everybody in the community here we’ve met, its proximity to the US market is very helpful for us in terms of seling goods there, there’s a good labour force here.”
Whyte’s plans to run its operation year-round, ramping up during the summer months, and has already established a working relationship with five local growers.
Ward 5 Councillor Jeff Wesley says it was just a matter of time and he is tickled about the pickles.
I’m really happy for the community because it’s 100 full-time jobs, seasonal jobs, and then spin-offs,” Wesley says. “I was talking to MPower (Electric,) they’re doing work over there, they’ll end up buying local goods, local services, gas, restaurants, everybody benefits.”
The facility, which will focus on pickles, relish, and marinated peppers with locally-sourced products, is expected to open next fall.