New packing line expands potato production capacity

A new state of the art production line is helping an Ontario company get a premium local product to consumers more quickly and efficiently.

Read Also

Global crop yields don’t match increasing demand

Glacier FarmMedia – Rising demand and below-trend yields are causing tightness in the global supply of major crops, says one…

EarthFresh Farms Inc. is a Canadian produce company based in Burlington that specializes in growing, packing and distributing potatoes. The company is vertically integrated in all aspects of the potato industry from seed breeding to packing and distribution.

Its customers are retailers and food service and direct-to-home meal kit companies in Canada and the United States, with a particular focus on premium varieties and specialty products like mini and organic potatoes.

Steadily growing demand was putting pressure on aging equipment in its Burlington facility. It was exacerbated by supply chain delays and inventory issues during the pandemic, resulting in lost production and inefficiencies.

In early 2022, logistics also became an issue when driver shortages caused product delays across North America, resulting in a 40 per cent increase in freight costs. The company needed to increase throughput, insulate itself from labour shortages and reduce operating costs of the plant.

The solution was installation of a new packing line for bagging the company’s mini potatoes that director of operations Alex Paladino says has increased the packing rate and eliminated virtually all unplanned downtime.

The company used cost-share funding through the province’s Supply Chain Stability and Adaptability Program to support the procurement and installation of the new system, which has been running since summer 2023.

“We’ve seen a 60 per cent increase in uptime, combined with reduced operational expenses associated with maintenance and upkeep,” says Paladino.

“As well, the new system will enable us to use a variety of new sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging that we couldn’t do as efficiently and effectively previously.”

Greater packing capacity close to home also means lower transportation costs and a reduced carbon footprint, as well as greater control over supply chain logistics that allows EarthFresh to respond more rapidly to customer requests.

It also offers more higher-value market opportunities for Ontario potato growers, who are paid more for growing premium mini potatoes compared to conventional ones.

“The potatoes packaged in this facility come largely from Ontario, so this lets us reduce costs and make Ontario product more competitive by growing and packaging locally,” adds Paladino.

This article was written on behalf of the Agricultural Adaptation Council.