Diageo will close its Crown Royal bottling plant in Amherstburg, Ontario, by February 2026, leaving about 160 workers facing an uncertain future. The announcement came Thursday as the company confirmed plans to streamline its North American supply chain.
The facility, which has operated for nearly a century, is Amherstburg’s largest employer. Crews at the plant have long handled bottling, capping, and packaging Crown Royal whisky destined for Canada and the United States.
Company Explains Supply Chain Shift
Diageo said the closure is part of a strategy to move some bottling closer to U.S. consumers. While the bottling operations will leave Amherstburg, the company stressed that Crown Royal will continue to be mashed, distilled, and aged in Canada.
“This was a difficult decision, but one that is crucial to improving the efficiency and resiliency of our supply chain network,” said Marsha McIntosh, Diageo’s president of North America Supply. She also thanked employees for their dedication to the Crown Royal brand.
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Crown Royal whisky destined for Canadian and international export markets will continue to be bottled at Diageo’s Valleyfield, Quebec facility.
Workers Caught Off Guard
For workers, the decision was both sudden and upsetting. John D’Agnolo, president of Unifor Local 200, which represents employees at the plant, said staff were informed just minutes before the public announcement.
“To be quite frank with you, I was pissed off,” D’Agnolo said. “They just told us it was a business decision.”
He vowed the union would fight to keep the plant open. “We’re going to get the leadership together and ask for a meeting with the company. We’re going to sit at a table and see what it takes to keep that plant alive.”
Local Leaders Voice Concern
Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue expressed disappointment, saying he first learned of the closure from the media.
“I feel most for the 160 people who are losing their job,” Prue said. “I’ve asked the CAO and the treasurer to look at the economic impact that it’s going to have on Amherstburg.”
The mayor said he has already contacted Invest WindsorEssex to help with job retention efforts. “We need to make sure that employment stays in Amherstburg,” he said. “Without the jobs, we become a bedroom community, and I, as mayor, do not want that.”
Support for Employees Promised
Diageo said it will support affected employees during the transition and work with Unifor to assist unionized staff. The company also pledged to engage with the Amherstburg community in the coming weeks to provide additional support.
Despite the pledge, the looming closure represents a major blow for the town, where generations of families have worked at the Crown Royal plant. For Amherstburg, the fight to preserve local jobs has only just begun.
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