Sobeys Inc., one of Canada’s largest food retailers, selected Maple Reinders as their construction partner to build a 55,000 sf ready-to-eat food processing commissary facility in Calgary, Alberta. This is Sobeys’ first process-focused project of this size and complexity; it acts as the blueprint of how major Canadian grocers will produce pre-made meals. Therefore, it was imperative to select a trust-worthy construction partner to ensure the success of this project.

The state-of-the-art facility is 42’ high and includes a two-storey office building within the facility. Equipped with CO2 refrigeration, evaporators in every room, and large condensers, the facility ensures optimal temperature control, across various zones, and rigorous food safety compliance. The food processing facility features diverse temperature-controlled areas ranging from -20°C to 22°C to accommodate various food storage and preparation needs. The facility includes office spaces, a hot protein kitchen, meat and vegetable freezers, a finishing hot kitchen, and multiple refrigerated spaces.

Maple played a crucial role beyond typical construction duties and was engaged heavily in the design process, providing invaluable value-engineering, design solutions, and constructability advice. Additionally, Maple worked closely with Sobeys and their equipment suppliers to acquire shop drawings and power requirements to successfully tie-in and install the specialty equipment. The collaboration between Sobeys, the design team, equipment vendors, and Maple Reinders were major contributors to the success of this innovative and complex project.