UFCW Local 175 Members at Work: Dainty Foods

from Checkout Spring 2019

Local 175 members from Silverstein's Bakery get long-awaited severance

Our Members at Dainty Foods

**A worker uses a machine at the Dainty Foods facility.**
Dainty Foods

Did you know that the only rice mill in Canada is Dainty Foods in Windsor?

Better yet, the plant proudly employs 41 unionized workers who are members of UFCW Local 175 as part of the Dainty family.

Dainty imports, mills and processes rice in its Windsor plant for consumer-packaged rice products sold under the Dainty brand name. You can find these Union-made products while shopping in all major grocers.

The members at Dainty also produce rice and rice flour for food service clients, which provide service to schools, hospitals, airlines, restaurants, and more. In addition, industrial customers use Dainty Foods rice and rice flour as ingredients for baking, brewing, crispy coating batters, and soup and sauce thickeners, to name just a few.

Dainty was founded in 1882, and built the current facility in Windsor in 1967, where it continues to be a proudly Canadian facility that employs a strong team of unionized employees.

Local 175 members at the plant take part in the long-standing production of a unique and iconic product – cooked rice in a can with seasonings – first launched in 1947. The product line has 11 flavours and remains a popular and affordable side dish for Canadians. To package these items, the members at Dainty operate the largest continuous retort ever built. The retort is used to sterilize the cans of rice before they are packaged and shipped.

The plant runs on two shifts where the members efficiently produce, package and ship out all of the products. Plus, they also provide maintenance and keep the plant in sanitized condition to ensure the facility meets the highest food safety standards and certifications.

Led by a team of four Stewards, whose combined years of service total 63, the membership is well cared for in the day-today operations.

• Chief Steward, Mike Kohler, is a Spice Operator and has been at the plant for 18 years.

• Tim Van Den Driessche is a Rice Miller with 19 years of service.

• Tim Galbraith is a Machine Operator with 18 years of service.

• Cody Blackbird is a Canning Operator and has been with the company for eight years.

So, next time you’re looking for a healthy side dish, Shop Union by looking for the Dainty name and know that by choosing this line of products to put on your dinner table, you are supporting Unionized workers at Dainty Foods in Windsor.