JANUARY 2018 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


Lettuce build Coldstream Ranch sells land to


Quebec-based salad maker


by PETER MITHAM VERNON – Coldstream


Ranch, east of Vernon, has sold 700 acres to Canada’s largest vegetable grower. Quebec-based VegPro


International Inc. bought the south-facing site to grow baby greens for its Fresh Attitude brand of salad packs. The deal also gives it land to build a 72,000-square-foot processing and distribution facility that will allow VegPro to serve customers across Western Canada. “VegPro approached us because they thought it was the most suitable place in the province to grow their produce,” says Keith Balcaen, owner of Coldstream Ranch. Coldstream wasn’t actively


marketing parcels of its 9,000- acre property. VegPro approached the ranch after a month of scouting properties from Vancouver Island to the Cariboo. “They couldn’t find


anything with a big enough acreage that’s irrigated,” says Balcaen. With close to 6,000 acres on the East Coast in Quebec as well as Florida, VegPro has become a primary supplier of salads to Loblaws Companies Ltd. It also supplies Costco and Wal-Mart, all of which currently serve Western Canada with salad greens trucked in from California. “Growing in Canada and being a local producer was always top of their mind, and to do that they had to find an area where they would be able to grow,” says Jonathan Blais, a former senior relationship manager with Farm Credit Canada who joined VegPro at the end of October to oversee development of its Coldstream facility. “The Okanagan seemed to be the best area, with a lot of heat and minimal rain and access to water, and Coldstream Ranch was a great location because we were able to secure enough land to size this operation to where we wanted it to be,” says Blais. Construction of the


packing plant and distribution facility begins this month. Approximately 200 acres will be planted this spring, with plans to grow production to more than 600 acres within three years. Ultimately, the vision calls for organic certification of the acreage. “They’ve tried to do it on the East Coast, but it’s a bit challenging to do,” says Blais. “They see the Okanagan as an


area where they’re going to be able to do organic production.” Production will occur


between April and October. Rather than develop greenhouses for winter greens, produce for the packing plant will come from the US – either Washington or California. This echoes operations in Quebec, which touts an “East Coast Advantage” because greens aren’t shipped in from across the continent. “It makes more sense in terms of trucking because everything is about freshness,” says Blais. The project represents a $60 million investment by


See LOWER on next page o Field lettuce will soon be grown on Coldstream Ranch, near Vernon. VEGPRO INTERNATIONAL FILE PHOTO


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Mark Jones 250-545-3355 MJones@AvenueMachinery.ca


Avenue announces new partnership


Avenue is proud to introduce Mark Jones as our new partner and General Manager for our Okanagan division.


Mark comes to us with a long history in the equipment sales and service industry. His career started with Friesen Equipment in Abbotsford in the mid 1980s. He cut his teeth in the farm equipment world as a mechanic, eventually transitioning into the service manager position. He then made a career move to the trucking industry as Operations Manager gaining valuable experience


supervising the parts, service and body shop departments for Vancouver Freightliner. He eventually made a life style move to Lake Country to raise his family and continued on a successful career with Premium Truck and Trailer as General Manager for 12 years.


Needless to say, Mark has experienced all sorts of issues relating to the parts, service and sales of equipment. Avenue is confident that Mark will bring that same knowledge and drive for success to Avenue Machinery in the Okanagan.


Stop in and meet our newest member and business partner at our Vernon location.


ABBOTSFORD 1.888.283.3276 | KELOWNA 1.800.680.0233 | VERNON 1.800.551.6411 www.avenuemachinery.ca


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