Nestlé Canada has completed a capital investment of more than CAD $50 million to expand and modernise its confectionery manufacturing plant in downtown Toronto.
The multi-million-dollar project introduces expanded production space, updated industrial utilities, and advanced processing machinery to support higher manufacturing volumes across the group's flagship chocolate and confectionery brands.
The investment enhances technical capacity at the historic facility, which has operated in Toronto for over a century, while reinforcing domestic manufacturing capabilities for the Canadian confectionery market.
Flexible Moulding Line and Production Modernisation
A central component of the capital project is the installation of a high-speed, flexible moulding line engineered specifically to produce KitKat and Aero products.
The modernised production line provides increased operational flexibility, allowing the site to switch formats and adjust output to meet shifting consumer demand across key chocolate categories. In addition to KitKat and Aero, the facility produces long-standing Canadian confectionery lines, including Smarties.
Beyond core production machinery, the expansion included an extensive redesign of the physical site layout. The reconfigured logistics flow is designed to streamline raw material intake and product dispatch while reducing transport and traffic congestion on Sterling Road for the surrounding residential community.
"This investment provides our team with new capacity and capability to support our next phase of growth and innovation in confectionery," said Chandra Kumar, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Canada.
North American Peanut-Free Hub and Facility Heritage
The downtown Toronto site occupies a distinct operational position as Nestlé's only certified peanut-free confectionery facility in North America.
Employing approximately 550 personnel, the specialised status allows the factory to supply allergen-controlled chocolate and countline products across Canadian retail and institutional channels.
The capital programme ensures the centenarian manufacturing site aligns with contemporary production efficiency standards without compromising its established allergen-free protocols.
Responsible Sourcing and Canadian Footprint
Confectionery manufactured at the expanded Toronto plant is integrated into Nestlé's international raw material traceability and sustainability frameworks.
All cocoa used at the facility is procured via the Nestlé Cocoa Plan and the company's Income Accelerator Program. Sourcing initiatives through the programme currently engage approximately 45,000 cocoa-growing households across Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, focusing on closing household income gaps and mitigating child labour risks in primary agricultural supply chains.
The Toronto facility represents a key anchor within Nestlé’s broader operational network across Canada, where the Swiss food conglomerate employs roughly 3,500 people across approximately 12 commercial and manufacturing sites nationwide.
