HyLife

HyLife is a Canadian-based, fully integrated pork producer that manages its entire supply chain from farm to fork. The company's operations encompass animal genetics, feed production, hog farming, transportation, and processing. Products are exported to over 20 countries, with a significant presence in Japan, where it works closely with customers to provide high-quality pork.

The company's history began in 1994 when the three Vielfaure brothers (Paul, Denis, and Claude) and Don Janzen merged their resources to form VL4/Janzen in southeastern Manitoba, Canada. Their goal was to create an efficient, integrated structure for hog production. The company expanded by building its own feed mills, a veterinary services division, and a genetics company. Grant Lazaruk and Henry Van de Velde later joined as partners, and the company became known as Hytek. In 2008, Hytek acquired the Springhill Farms processing plant in Neepawa, Manitoba, marking a major step toward vertical integration. The company rebranded to HyLife in 2011 to reflect its evolution into a 'farm-to-fork' food company. By 2019, Thailand-based Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) acquired a majority ownership stake in HyLife.

HyLife's business model is centered on a vertically integrated system that ensures traceability and quality control throughout the production process. The company raises its own hogs, selected for traits like flavor, color, and texture, and manufactures its own animal feed. Its logistics division manages the transportation of grain, feed, livestock, and finished products. Revenue is generated through the sale of premium pork products to a global customer base. In 2020, HyLife expanded into the United States by acquiring 75% of Prime Pork, a processing plant in Windom, Minnesota, aiming to strengthen its supply chain and increase its processing capacity. However, due to financial challenges, the Windom plant filed for bankruptcy in April 2023 and was subsequently sold in June 2023, leading to the plant's closure.

Keywords: pork producer, integrated pork production, meat processing, animal genetics, food production, hog farming, farm-to-fork, pork export, agricultural business, livestock, food supply chain, meat products, Canadian agriculture, feed manufacturing, animal nutrition, global food company, pork processing plant, meat export, pork supply chain