How to become a labourer in food and beverage processing
Official title: Labourers in food and beverage processing
Also called: Bakery labourer, Brewery labourer, Frozen food packer, Food product sampler, Food-cooling pan tender, Food processing labourer, Yeast processing labourer, Caser - tobacco processing, Chocolate processing helper, Meat-packing plant labourer, Tobacco processing labourer, Cannabis processing labourer
Labourers in food and beverage processing perform material handling, clean-up, packaging and other elemental activities related to food and beverage processing. They are employed in fruit and vegetable processing plants, dairies, flour mills, bakeries, sugar refineries, meat plants, breweries and other food and beverage processing and packaging plants.
Main tasks
- Transport raw materials, finished products and packaging materials throughout plant and warehouse manually, or with powered equipment
- Measure and dump ingredients into hoppers of mixing and grinding machines or mobile tank trucks
- Feed and unload food and beverage processing machines
- Feed flattened boxes into forming machines to construct containers
- Remove filled containers from conveyors and manually pack goods into bags, boxes or other containers
- Clean work areas and equipment
- Check products and packaging for basic quality defects
- Assist process control and machine operators in performing their duties
How to become one
Some secondary school education may be required.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $39,000 a year The middle half earn $34,359 to $44,850.
- About 53,400 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 54,700 are projected by 2033. (+2.4%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: moderate risk of shortage.
Related jobs
- Labourers in mineral and metal processing
- Labourers in metal fabrication
- Labourers in chemical products processing and utilities
- Labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing
- Labourers in rubber and plastic products manufacturing
- Labourers in textile processing and cutting
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Questions people ask
How do I become a labourer in food and beverage processing?
Some secondary school education may be required.
How much does a labourer in food and beverage processing earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $39,000 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $34,359 to $44,850.
Is a labourer in food and beverage processing a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2033, from about 53,400 to about 54,700 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a labourer in food and beverage processing?
Usually not. Only 12% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03