Yorkregion.com - Whitchurch-Stouffville - Welcome to Canada’s duck capital
Welcome to Canada’s duck capital
Patricia Thompson, sales manager at King Cole Ducks Ltd. in Whitchurch-Stouffville, at the Warden Avenue plant, west of Ballantrae.
Whitchurch-Stouffville
May 03, 2008 12:31 AM
2.5 million birds a year processed at local plant
By: Chris Traber
If you’re a fan of Jeopardy!, it could happen.
“I’ll take World Wide Webbed Feet for $2,000, Alex.”
“The answer is, It’s the duck processing capital of Canada.”
“What is York Region?”
“Correct!”
Then, host Alex Trebek explains King Cole Ducks in Whitchurch-Stouffville, a fourth generation family-owned business, processes 2.5 million ducks annually and distributes products globally.
While the enterprise, about to celebrate its 60th anniversary, would make for interesting trivia, there’s nothing trivial about the 120-employee, 1,000-acre operation.
Patriarch James Murby, 95, continues his daily ritual of checking in on the 14-farm operation which continues to grow, most recently with a new cook plant, sales manager Patricia Thompson said.
The operation, with its own breeding, hatching, growing, processing and shipping divisions, may not be on the local culinary radar, but international chefs working the world’s best cruise lines, first class air, spas, restaurants and resorts are familiar with the King Cole brand.
The company’s products are favoured and savoured from Iceland to South America and from Russia to Tahiti, she said.
Now, with its cook plant, King Cole is serving up nine-hour, slow cooked, grilled, vacuum-packed duck as an alternative to traditional kitchen and barbecue fare.
Sales figures are a family secret, but Ms Thompson said the company has enjoyed steady food service and trade sales. You can buy ducks from the Warden Avenue farm and at its Queensville store. Popular with Quebecers and Asian-Canadians, the company is looking to make duck mainstream for all.
To that end, King Cole is ramping up awareness and convenience, offering fresh, frozen and cooked duck along with recipes and nutritional insight.
“Because it’s a water fowl, ducks have a jacket of fat,” Ms Thompson explained. “That actually allows the duck to baste itself and leaves lean, tender meat.”
Duckling, the company’s literature claims, sits atop the highest echelon of prestige proteins, alongside lobster, lamb and black angus beef.
Local grocers’ shelves will have prepared duck entrees this summer, she said.
Every part of the duck, including feet and tongues, is processed as a deliccay. Manure is processed for garden centres and feathers are shipped to duvet and pillow manufacturers.
For information, call 1-800-363-3825 or visit www.kingcoleducks.com