Village Farms Fresh’s Bret Wiley and Dirk de Jong Detail Spring Crops and New Products Ahead of Canadian Produce Marketing Association Trade Show
DELTA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA - In-person hype continues to swirl. Members from suppliers to retailers and everyone along the supply chain are converging in Montréal, Canada, as the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) plays host once more. Village Farms Fresh is one such greenhouse supplier making its trek to Québec, and I was more than eager to learn more about its spring crop and retail plans ahead of the CPMA Convention and Trade Show.
“The team is looking forward to being back to CPMA this year after such a long period without shows; it will be great to have face time with our retail partners again,” notes Bret Wiley, Senior Vice President of Sales. “CPMA always puts on a good show with lots of networking opportunities, and it always has a great turnout. Our team is excited to discuss how our flavor-forward, Canadian-grown tomatoes and the rest of our portfolio are a key value proposition for the company and customers alike.”
In combination with the grower’s greenhouses and distribution centers in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, Village Farms is able to deliver the freshest, most nutrient-dense, and high-quality fruits and vegetables to its customers in a matter of days.
The crops are grown with the utmost care in food safety standards, and the distribution network helps reduce food miles.
“Sensational Sara®—the newest variety to our portfolio—and our exclusive Heavenly Villagio Marzano®, Sinfully Sweet Campari®, Cabernet Estate Reserve®, Maverick Mix®, Cherry no. 9®, and Lip Smackn’ Grape® varieties are just some distinctive specialty tomato varieties we are known for,” Dirk de Jong, Vice President and Regional Facility Manager of the Delta, British Columbia, greenhouse, chimes in. “We provide them in various pack sizes in addition to eco-friendly options to suit customer needs and help drive local and regional sales.”
Bret quickly picks up the conversation to include the grower’s other greenhouse-grown products, stating, “Our Luscious Seedless Long English®, Scrumptious Mini® cucumbers, Sweet Bell® sweet bell peppers, and our brand new Cheeky Sweets® mini sweet peppers are available to help round out your colorful displays and drive your category sales. We are currently offering promotional opportunities for our Sweet Bell peppers now, just in time for consumers heading out to warmer weather in Canada and the States.”
For Village Farms Fresh, good-for-the-earth growing makes the company strong environmental stewards in the key areas of water resource, pest control, and land management. Its farming methods include technology-driven solutions to curtail climate change, all while providing consistent quality with fantastically flavorful unique varieties.
“Our spring tomato crop is looking very healthy, vibrant, and is thriving due to the excellent climate typical for this time of year,” Dirk continues. “The crops change fast, and this keeps us on our toes daily as we tend to the delicate plant balance. However, the combination of freedom and responsibility to our customers and our Earth, not to mention the joy of growing, is what motivates me and our team.”
To learn more about Dirk’s growing passion, click here.
If you’re interested to learn more, stop by booth #2616 to chat with Bret Wiley, Lyra Vance, and Andrew Sable!
