Food processing giant Conagra Brands Inc. is celebrating 75 years of tomato processing in Chatham-Kent.
The facility, which opened its doors on Wellington Street in Dresden in 1947, hosted a party Sunday to celebrate a milestone anniversary.
"It's special for the community to have a reliable place of employment for hundreds of employees, hundreds of families," said Plant Manager Simon Hogervost. "It was nice to reflect on the impact that the facility has on the community."
Today, approximately 175 Conagra plant employees work full time. The plant also employs roughly 225 seasonal workers from mid-August to October during the fresh-pack season.
While the facility is well-known for its tomato processing, Hogervost said that's not the only vegetable the facility has processed. The plant has processed spinach, asparagus, beets, potatoes, and even jello cups for a short period.
"For the last ten years, it's been strictly tomatoes," said Hogervost. "Even 20 years prior to that, the focus really shifted primarily to a tomato processing facility."
After more than seven decades in the community, Hogervost said it's hard to come by a person who doesn't know somebody that has worked or is working at the facility.
"When the August comes around you hear the tomato wagons rolling," said Hogervost. "It's a part of life in Dresden."
The 75th celebration saw hundreds of employees attend - past and present - along with their families. The event included plant tours, messages from company officials, speeches, presentations and entertainment for children.
"It was a great day yesterday [Sunday], said Hogervost. "Everybody is just proud of the facility here and it is an honour to be a part of a legacy plant that's been here forever."
