About

Three Vielfaure brothers (Paul, Denis, and Claude) purchase their first 250 sow farm from their father, Albert Vielfaure, in La Broquerie, Manitoba. Don Janzen starts pig farming in Randolph, Manitoba four years later.

The Vielfaure brothers and Don Janzen join to create VL4/Janzen, a company focused on creating the most efficient and integrated operating structure to produce hogs. Construction of their first sow farm, Tritek, takes place.

VL4/Janzen starts selling wean and feeder pigs in the United States. Construction of the first Boar Genetic Transfer Centre takes place in La Broquerie.

The first finishing barn in Manitoba is built and the VL4/Janzen feed mill is expanded.

VL4/Janzen purchases a genetic company from Harold and Marjie Fast called Fast Genetics in Spiritwood, Saskatchewan. This triggered construction of multiplication barns in Canada and the United States in the coming years.

The company is renamed to Hytek, focusing on efficient hog and meat production.

Hytek gets into transportation by purchasing trucks to haul grain, feed, livestock, and meat. This also includes construction of truck washes and bake bays.

A partnership develops between Hytek and Ceres Groupe to expand genetic and nutrition sales in Eastern Canada.

Hytek signs a joint venture agreement with Tianzow Food for the startup of a genetic company in China. The next year, the first shipment of Great Grand Parent stock (purebred genetics) is flown overseas to start the first nucleus herd in China.

Hytek purchases a meat processing plant named Springhill Farms in Neepawa, Manitoba – a large step towards becoming a fully integrated pork company selling pork products worldwide.

Hytek is rebranded and the company names changes to HyLife to better represent an integrated food company. The logo depicts the full cycle of farm-to-fork applications of wheat sheath, green fields, and blue skies.

HyLife stretches its reach by exporting into Japan, creating specialized pork products for the Japanese market.

HyLife achieves Platinum Status as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies – a distinction still held today.

HyLife formulates a unique herb diet to create a new brand in Japan called Herb Sangenton.

Japanese trading company ITOCHU becomes a shareholder.

HyLife starts construction on a new 250,000 tonne feed mill in Randolph, Manitoba.

HyLife opens a new restaurant called HyLife Pork Table as part of a brand marketing strategy in the Daikanyama district in Tokyo, Japan.

HyLife completes Project 3750 which expands their fully integrated business model, including new barns, a new feed mill in Killarney, Manitoba, and a major expansion to the Neepawa pork plant.

Thai agriculture company CPF (Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited) becomes majority shareholder.

HyLife purchases ProVista’s hog farming operations, increasing its production capacity by approximately one million hogs annually.

HyLife donates $750,000 to local hospitals amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

HyLife completes improvements to Neepawa plant that sees daily production rise from 8,200 to 8,900 hogs.

HyLife relocates its Head Office to Steinbach, Manitoba following the construction of a new, 50,000 square foot facility.

Karan Sangfai becomes HyLife’s new President and CEO. Karan is a seasoned global leader who harbors a deep understanding of HyLife’s business and embodies company values.