Maple Leaf Foods announced its new business plan including the sale of its primary pork processing plant in Burlington, Ontario, and a five-year restructuring, which will shift its focus from primary protein operations to value-added meat and meals.

The Toronto-based Maple Leaf also said that it plans to cut a second-shift operation at its Brandon, Manitoba, plant by September 2008 and to close its fresh pork processing plant in Winnipeg.

In addition, the company said construction of a new distribution center in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, almost is complete and an expansion to consolidate its value-added ham boning operations is underway at Maple Leaf’s Lagimodiere Road plant in Winnipeg.