Nutri Group rebrands as Lovo; Steinbach division renos continue

A Quebec-based egg grader and processor with a division in Manitoba has launched a new brand identity and is investing millions of dollars into its operation in Steinbach.

Nutri Group will now be known as Lovo. Leadership at the 39-year-old company revealed the new name to stakeholders earlier this week, and they are announcing the change publicly today.

The new name is derived from “love” and “ovo,” the Latin word for egg. It’s meant to be upbeat and focus on “the sunny side of life,” said Sébastien Léveillé, the company’s chief executive. The new brand includes updated packaging Léveillé hopes will catch consumers’ eyes in the supermarket.

“The egg section in grocery stores is pretty beige and there’s (been) no upgrade in this section for years,” he said.

The new identity is the result of market research the company conducted over the last 18 months. “In this time of anxiety, of geopolitical confusion or challenges, I think that people want to see life on the sunny side,” Léveillé said.

Lovo is owned by Quebec farming families and has additional divisions in Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia. The company grades, processes and markets more than 2.4 billion eggs annually.

The rebrand comes at a time when Lovo is making significant upgrades to its Manitoba division, formerly known as Countryside Farms.

Last June, the company started a $20-million expansion and modernization of its facilities in Steinbach.

The project aims to consolidate the company’s grading operations into a single building, increasing operational efficiency so that the company can respond adequately in the long term to increased supply and sales growth, a company spokesperson said.

The expansion is scheduled to be completed in August.

“The renovation is going very well,” said Shawn Harel, director of operations at the Steinbach facility. “It’s going to align very well with this rebranding. It’s like a brand-new face throughout everything.”

“We’re investing in Manitoba because it’s important to us,” added Nicholas Marchand, the company’s chief operating officer. “It’s a commitment for our employees in Manitoba, for the farmers that are sending their eggs to us and to our customers.”

Lovo employs 75 people in the keystone province.

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca