Pacific Seafoods Group has closed its Sidney, British Columbia, seafood processing facility so that it can merge its operations with Hardy Buoys Smoked Fish in Port Hardy, the Vancouver Sun reported yesterday.
The new company, Pacific Seafoods International Ltd., will continue to market Treasure Island and Hardy Buoys seafood products under separate brands. Pacific Seafoods says the products complement each other and that the Port Hardy site is better suited to remain open because it's near supplies of both wild and farmed salmon.
Pacific Seafoods' Sidney plant produced cold-smoked salmon, smoked black cod and tuna and salmon candy, among other products. It processed about 8,000 pounds of seafood weekly.
Hardy Buoys wholesales hot-smoked salmon, salmon candy and Atlantic salmon loin, among other products. It processes about 2,000 pounds of seafood weekly. With 18 full-time workers, the company, established in 1994, plans to hire another 25 to 30 workers as it grows.
All Sidney employees were offered jobs in Port Hardy, but only one is considering relocating.
The new company intends to expand its salmon sausage, salmon burger and salmon portion lines.
