COLLEGEDALE, TENN.— McKee Foods’ Little Debbie brand products are no longer available in Canada.
“This was not our decision,” said Mike Gloekler, corporate communications and public relations manager for McKee Foods. “Our business model is one where we sell to independent wholesalers who then resell to grocery stores and convenience stores. The sole distributor in Canada chose to terminate their business relationship with our brands for reasons that are entirely their own. At present, we are not actively searching for a new distributor relationship in the Canada market.
“We understand the disappearance of our products from the Canada market is disappointing to consumers there, but unfortunately this is the current situation, and we see no change to that in the near term.”
In addition, on Sept. 1 McKee discontinued distribution of its snack cakes to the US Defense Commissary Agency, which operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to US military personnel, retirees and their families. The regulatory standards required of McKee Foods were too costly to continue supplying the agency, Mr. Gloekler said. No regulatory change has been made since Sept. 1.
