JUDIQUE, NOVA SCOTIA / Content Syndication Services / – Nova Scotia is investing $250,000 in MB Meat Company, a new beef processing facility in Judique, Inverness County. The province said the site is Cape Breton’s only provincially inspected beef abattoir. The facility provides custom slaughter and cut-and-wrap services for regional livestock producers. It also sells locally raised beef and other local products directly to customers.
The Cape Breton beef processing facility opened with a June 27 grand opening attended by Agriculture Minister Greg Morrow, company owners, producers, and community members. The Nova Scotia government said the investment supports local processing capacity for cattle raised on the island. MB Meat Company operates as both a processor and retailer, linking livestock producers with inspected services and direct customer sales.
Cape Breton beef farms had to send cattle off the island for processing before the meat could return for local sale. That added transport costs and extra steps for producers. The new Judique facility gives regional farmers an inspected processing option on Cape Breton. The province said the operation also helps restaurants and food retailers carry more Cape Breton-raised beef.
Local Capacity Expands
The facility offers custom slaughter and cut-and-wrap services for livestock producers across the region. It also gives customers a local retail point for Cape Breton beef and other products. The business was established by two families who returned to Cape Breton to build the operation. Provincial photos from the opening identified Laura McNabb, Chad Boudreau, and Jared McNabb as co-owners.
Support for the project comes through the Nova Scotia Beef Processing Program at Perennia. The program forms part of the Nova Scotia Beef Initiative, which focuses on processing capacity and access to locally raised beef. Perennia administers funding tied to the initiative and provides support for the provincial beef sector through industry programs and resources.
Beef Initiative Context
Nova Scotia announced new beef support programs in February under the Nova Scotia Beef Initiative. The province said the initiative includes two funding streams, with $750,000 for beef finishing equipment and $750,000 for beef processing. Officials said the wider program aims to support local beef production, processing, and market access. Perennia also supports training, industry data, forage information, and related development work.
Nova Scotia said the province had more than 360 licensed beef producers, 10 provincially inspected beef abattoirs, and 86 licensed meat processing facilities. Beef production in Nova Scotia reached about $48 million in 2025, according to provincial figures. The Judique opening adds inspected beef processing capacity in Cape Breton and gives regional producers another path to prepare local beef for sale.