Dare to close Quebec cookie plant next year, affecting about 275 employees

MONTREAL – Dare Foods says it will close a cookie-making plant on the south shore of Montreal by mid-2020 in a move that will affect about 275 employees.

The Ontario-based company said Thursday that it told employees the production of soft cookies would be moved to other facilities across the country.

Spokesman Marc Duchesne says the plant in St-Lambert, Que., can’t be expanded or modernized because it is “landlocked” near residential and commercial areas.

He added that retention bonuses, performance payments and severance will exceed the requirements of the collective agreement and the provincial labour law.

The plant in Sainte-Martine that makes toasted snack foods and has about 120 employees is unaffected.

Dare owns the Whippet, Breton and Grissol brands.