Manitoba's Top Employers

The farmer-owned poultry co-operative has been based in Manitoba for more than five decades and is now the largest chicken and turkey processor in the province. "We started more than 50 years ago with a group of rural Manitoba farmers who wanted to ensure they were raising high-quality product and getting fair pricing for the poultry they raised. Today, we employ 585 people and have 185 farmer owners. We're proud to be the largest employer in the RM of Hanover," says CEO Craig Evans. "Our head office and hatchery are based in Winnipeg and our main processing plant is in Blumenort, where we just finished investing over $40 million to sustain us for the future. We were able to keep operating while we completed the expansion and renovation, which was a real testament to the dedication and commitment of our staff out there." The organization produces over 10 million chicks per year and processes approximately 16 million chickens and 2.1 million turkeys — roughly 38 million kilograms of poultry annually. With over $160 million per year in sales, Granny's Poultry represents two per cent of the chicken produced in Canada and seven per cent of the turkey. "I think one of the things that has contributed to our success is our commitment to providing a safe, inclusive workplace for our employees. When you look at our workforce, half of our employees are women and we have a lot of people who are new to Canada. We do a lot to ensure that new workers are oriented and integrated properly into the organization," he says. "We've put a lot of effort into workplace training and safe operating procedures. We instituted an employee mentor program, which has resulted in a safer work environment. When you look at our organization, we have one of the lowest incident rates for injuries in Manitoba." For Evans, it's essential to empower people and support teamwork at all levels. "We work to create an environment that supports an employee's ability to do the best job they can for our company and our customers," he says. "We offer flexible working hours because we understand everyone has commitments outside of the organization. We also offer flexible benefits, so all of our employees can pick and choose from a menu of benefits that best suits their family situation." In addition, Granny's Poultry provides ongoing training and recognition for its employees. "We try to celebrate successes and accomplish- ments through both formal and informal recogni- tion programs. Once a year, we recognize people for their service to the organization," Evans says. "We also have perfect attendance awards, and well over 10 per cent of our employees have perfect attendance — and that's been growing every year. We even have some people who haven't missed a shift in over five years." Employees look forward to communications through the Granny's News Network, or GNN, which is shown on TV monitors in cafeterias and other locations. "It's fun to see people reading the GNN information, whether it's trivia about our organization or recipes or birthdays or accomplishments," Evans says. "It's replaced our employee newsletter and it's something people look forward to, so that's really helped us." Expanding its view outside the organization, the company remains committed to contributing back to the community. "We do a lot of work with charities under a theme of health, hunger and hope," Evans says. "We try very hard to be good, responsible corporate citizens." All of these efforts have helped Granny's Poultry earn a position as a top employer in the province. "We work very hard to attract and retain staff that can really make a difference in a very competitive marketplace," Evans says. "Our employees are the people that make us successful. We want them to look forward to coming to work by giving them a sense of purpose, treating them respectfully and ensuring that the workplace is a safe and fun environment." GRANNY'S POULTRY COOPERATIVE CELEBRATES EMPLOYEES' SUCCESS Proud to be recognized as one of top 30 employers Grannys.ca Proud to be recognized as one of Manitoba's Manitoba's top 30 employers Fm ned, family usted. WPG-Top30Employers-Banner.indd 1 11/14/2017 3:58:08 PM 12 CRAIG EVANS IS CEO OF GRANNY'S POULTRY. PHOTO BY DARCY FINLEY "We work to create an environment that supports an employee's ability to do the best job they can for our company and our customers." BY JENNIFER MCFEE Granny's Poultry Cooperative is enjoying a birds-eye view from its perch on Manitoba's Top Employers list.

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