HyLife plans new Steinbach head office

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This article was published 14/04/2021 (1391 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new 50,000 square foot, four-level office building will be constructed in Steinbach’s Millbrook Market Development. HyLife made the announcement on April 1, but the new building is no joke, and will be home to up to 220 employees at the location off Highway 12 in Steinbach.

Hylife is teaming up with Cibinel Architecture and Three Way Builders to start construction in May with completion scheduled for fall of 2022.

Their current head office is in La Broquerie and President and CEO Grant Lazaruk said it’s time for a change.

Built in 1998 as a 4,000 square foot space, it was expanded over the years to 16,000 square feet. They’ve also taken over a strip mall and make use of other locations for offices.

“One of our strengths is having our units work together in consolidated areas,” Lazaruk said.

That’s not easy to do in their current space, but will be a reality once they’re in one facility.

Lazaruk said they’re excited about the new location.

“Millbrook Market looked like a good fit for us,” he said. “There’s a mix between residential and business and office space and we thought that would provide a great sort of feel, environment for our staff.”

Lazaruk said they have employees travel to work from Steinbach, La Broquerie and as far as Winnipeg.

“It’s a great central location with great access onto a four lane highway,” he said.

The new building will include employee welfare spaces such as a large lunchroom and collaboration spaces, outdoor patio/terrace overlooking a park space and pond, and lots of natural light throughout the facility.

“Employees are very important to us,” Lazaruk said. “We want this new facility to address all the issues that it can.”

The building will also include a feature kitchen including an outdoor pizza oven, smoker and barbecue. That will allow them to entertain visiting clients and will also be made available for internal employee events.

“Our customers want a Canadian experience when they come here, and part of forming relationships with our customers is providing that,” he said.

The current facilities in La Broquerie will continue to be used, and Lazaruk said they’re working on plans for that space as well.

Initially 190 employees will relocate to the new head office, which has room for growth.

Lazaruk said the company is being perceived in a new light.

“Sometimes we’re looked at as a La Broquerie company as close as we are to Steinbach, but now I think we’re recognized as a company that actually is a southeast area company that does a lot of business in the RM of La Broquerie but also in Steinbach, and the RM of Hanover, Ste Anne, etc,” he said.

Hylife Vice President of Infrastructure and Environmental Affairs, Kevin Barkman was also excited about the change.

“Our vision is to be the best food company in the world, and to do that, we need to take care of our employees and our communities,” he said. “We have a world-class team and are excited to be able to bring them together here in southeastern Manitoba.”

HyLife has over 3,500 employees in multiple countries with over 2,500 in Manitoba. Over 1,500 of those are part of HyLife’s Foods division in Neepawa. The other 1,000 work throughout rural Manitoba in the company’s Farm division.