Production Assistant

Join Our Growing Team

Wholesome Kids Catering is a leading provider of nutritious, delicious, and thoughtfully prepared meals and snacks for childcare centres and schools. Our team is committed to food safety, exceptional service, and creating healthy meals that children love.

Join Wholesome Kids Catering and become part of One Team One Dream as we deliver healthy food and exceptional service—one meal at a time!

Position Information

Position Title: Production Associate (PA) Nights - Markham
Reports To: Production Supervisor
Direct Reports: None
Available Shifts: 9:00 p.m.–5:00 a.m.
Vacation: Two weeks of vacation per year plus five paid Wellness Days

Flexibility may be required to support operational needs, training, production demands, audits, special projects, and coverage across shifts.

The Role

As a Production Associate, you will contribute to the daily production of thousands of nutritious meals and snacks in a fast-paced, high-volume food manufacturing and commissary kitchen environment.

You will work collaboratively with Production Leads, Supervisors, and fellow team members to ensure products are prepared, assembled, packaged, labelled, staged, and distributed safely and efficiently. You will help ensure that every product meets Wholesome Kids Catering’s food safety, quality, accuracy, and customer service standards before it leaves our facility.

Key Responsibilities

Production Operations

• Assemble meals, snacks, and meal components according to daily production schedules, work instructions, production plans, recipes, and customer specifications.
• Accurately count, portion, weigh, sort, assemble, label, and package products while maintaining established quality and quantity standards.
• Verify product quantities, production labels, packaging materials, route information, and customer orders to ensure accuracy before distribution.
• Pack meals and snacks efficiently while maintaining product quality, presentation, packaging integrity, and temperature-control standards.
• Organize and stage completed products for shipping according to route schedules, customer requirements, and delivery timelines.
• Replenish ingredients, labels, packaging materials, containers, and other supplies to support a continuous and efficient production workflow.
• Safely transport products, ingredient bins, rolling racks, carts, pallets, and production materials throughout the facility.
• Rotate between production areas and workstations based on daily schedules, operational requirements, and production priorities.
• Assist with inventory movement, product transfers, and stock replenishment while maintaining product traceability and inventory accuracy.
• Process returned products according to company procedures, document discrepancies, and escalate concerns when required.
• Maintain accurate production records, counts, labels, checklists, and other required documentation.
• Consistently work toward daily production targets while maintaining exceptional quality, accuracy, efficiency, and attention to detail.

Food Safety, Quality and Compliance

• Follow all Standard Operating Procedures, Good Manufacturing Practices, HACCP requirements, allergen-control procedures, and company food safety policies.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness, personal hygiene, sanitation, and safe food handling throughout all production activities.
• Verify that products meet company requirements for appearance, portion size, weight, packaging, labelling, quality, temperature, and order accuracy.
• Recognize and immediately report quality concerns, product defects, packaging issues, contamination risks, equipment malfunctions, shortages, and production delays.
• Follow colour-coding, utensil-control, handwashing, glove-changing, and sanitation requirements when moving between products or production areas.
• Maintain product traceability by accurately completing production records, batch documentation, temperature logs, product counts, and operational checklists.
• Follow FIFO—First In, First Out—inventory rotation procedures to minimize waste and support product quality and freshness.
• Protect ingredients and finished products from contamination, damage, temperature abuse, incorrect labelling, or unauthorized use.

Equipment and Material Handling

• Safely operate production equipment, scales, label printers, packaging equipment, rolling racks, carts, pallet jacks where trained, and other authorized production tools.
• Inspect equipment and tools before use and immediately report damage, defects, missing guards, or unsafe operating conditions.
• Use equipment only after receiving the required training and authorization.
• Handle products, ingredients, packaging materials, tools, and equipment carefully to prevent damage, contamination, product loss, or workplace injury.
• Assist with equipment setup, cleaning, disassembly, and basic operational care according to established procedures and manufacturer instructions.

Teamwork and Operational Excellence

• Work collaboratively with Production Leads, Supervisors, Warehouse, Quality Assurance, Sanitation, Logistics, and other Operations team members to achieve daily goals.
• Communicate production updates, shortages, quality concerns, equipment issues, and operational challenges promptly and professionally.
• Demonstrate flexibility by supporting multiple production lines, workstations, and operational areas based on business requirements.
• Follow instructions and respond positively to changing production priorities, customer needs, menu changes, and scheduling requirements.
• Support the onboarding and cross-training of new Production Associates when assigned.
• Share relevant information during shift transitions to support continuity, accountability, and efficient production.
• Maintain a positive attitude and contribute to a respectful, inclusive, collaborative, and team-oriented work environment.
• Take ownership of assigned duties and follow through on commitments.

Health, Safety and Housekeeping

• Comply with applicable workplace health and safety legislation, company policies, procedures, and safe work practices.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and hazard-free workstation by following clean-as-you-go principles throughout the shift.
• Clean and sanitize work surfaces, tools, containers, and equipment according to established procedures.
• Immediately report unsafe conditions, near misses, hazards, injuries, incidents, spills, damaged equipment, and food safety concerns to the Production Lead or Supervisor.
• Wear and properly maintain all required personal protective equipment.
• Follow food manufacturing hygiene requirements, including handwashing, hair and beard restraints, protective clothing, footwear, and restrictions concerning jewellery or personal items.
• Use appropriate lifting, pushing, pulling, and material-handling techniques to prevent injury.
• Follow emergency procedures and cooperate with incident investigations, corrective actions, and safety training.
• Perform all duties safely while protecting coworkers, visitors, equipment, and the integrity of the products we produce.

Physical and Environmental Requirements

• Lift and carry materials weighing up to 60 pounds.
• Stand and walk for extended periods during the shift.
• Frequently bend, reach, twist, push, pull, lift, and carry.
• Perform repetitive tasks requiring consistent speed, coordination, and attention to detail.
• Work in refrigerated environments with temperatures of approximately 4–10°C.
• Work around industrial kitchen equipment, moving carts, production machinery, noise, food products, and cleaning activities.
• Safely use authorized food preparation tools and production equipment.
• Push and move rolling racks, ingredient carts, pallets, and production equipment.
• Operate a pallet jack when appropriately trained and authorized.
• Maintain concentration, accuracy, and awareness in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Work safely around common food allergens while following established allergen-control procedures.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent is preferred.
• Previous experience in food manufacturing, catering, institutional food service, commercial kitchens, packaging, warehousing, or high-volume production is considered an asset.
• Basic understanding of food safety, sanitation, and safe food handling is preferred.
• Ability to read and follow production sheets, labels, work instructions, schedules, and safety procedures.
• Ability to work independently while also contributing positively within a team.
• Strong attention to detail, organization, and product accuracy.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
• Ability to communicate concerns and production updates clearly and professionally.
• Reliable attendance and punctuality.
• Ability to work the assigned shift and demonstrate flexibility when operational needs change.

Success Profile

A successful Production Associate consistently helps produce safe, nutritious, accurate, and high-quality meals while supporting efficient daily operations.

They demonstrate adaptability by moving confidently between production, assembly, packaging, labelling, staging, and sanitation-related tasks. They take ownership of their work, communicate concerns promptly, support their coworkers, and remain focused during busy production periods.

Most importantly, they understand that every meal represents a promise to the children, families, childcare centres, and schools we serve. They help ensure that every product meets Wholesome Kids Catering’s food safety, quality, and accuracy standards before it leaves our facility