Winpak is undertaking a major expansion of its food-packaging plant in Manitoba’s capital.

The Saulteaux Crescent facility in Winnipeg has 210,000 square feet of new space under construction, the Winnipeg Free Press reported. In its latest quarterly report, the Winnipeg-based firm said the expanded modified-atmosphere facility will generate significant volume growth from 2026 onward.

The US$100-million project will support the production of recyclable packaging using starch byproducts from local food-processing facilities, according to the Free Press.

“We’re taking a product that’s typically down-cycled, goes to a landfill, and turning it into a value-added product,” James Holland, president of Winpak Division and Winpak Films, told the Free Press.

The new wing, expected to be operational in early 2026, will initially house one 65-metre production line focused on “recycle-ready” packaging for meat, cheese, and medical devices, according to the Free Press.

“Starch, surprisingly, has very good oxygen barriers,” said Winpak CEO Olivier Muggli commented to his interviewer. “It’s good for protecting food product from deterioration.”

The site will eventually accommodate three production lines, with a second line likely to be added in 2027. Each line is expected to create 30 to 40 skilled jobs, Muggli told the Free Press.

Winpak owns 13 food-processing plants in Canada and the U.S. altogether.

Tariffs have not impacted the Winnipeg expansion, the Free Press reported. But Winpak said in its quarterly report that the levies could hamper the company’s future prospects.

“Revisions to the currently enacted tariffs could have a significant impact on the company’s growth aspirations and manufacturing costs,” said Winpak company said in the quarterly report.

Muggli noted to the Free Press that Winpak’s Quebec plant, which exports aluminum packaging products to the U.S., has been affected.

“It is, of course, an issue,” he told the Free Press. “However, our competitors in the U.S. are facing the same tariffs, so it’s kind of a level playing field.”

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