LEAMINGTON, ON, CANADA - An incredible change has been rippling through Nature Fresh Farms®, one which has maximized the potential of the latest technology in order to give back the precious commodity that is time. Keith Bradley, Vice President of IT and Security, and his team have been working to implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) in data-seeking areas so that growers can spend less time behind computers and more time in the greenhouse. 

“Implementing this technology has allowed us to make a lot of better decisions to simplify the process to a degree, so we are spending more time with the plants and in the greenhouse instead of behind the screen. It allows much more direct work and observation,” he explained to me. “It was a gig we got to take on and a fun project as a team to see what, as an industry, we could do with AI!”

The innovative move necessitated the help of high-tech operator Intel®. 

“Joining efforts on this project with Nature Fresh Farms was an incredible experience, given the endless possibilities we saw for how technology could make a real-life difference. From the moment we started working with them, we knew we had to spotlight their team and their innovative efforts,” commented Denis Gaudreault, Intel Canada Country Manager. “The CIO Awards seemed like the perfect platform to do so, reinforcing Canadian talent and resourcefulness, pushing industry boundaries with AI-powered solutions, and highlighting the profound impact technology can have on society through our partners and customers.” 

Through Intel’s nomination, Nature Fresh Farms® was named as a 2024 CIO Award winner, celebrating excellence in the field across industries. 

Born and raised in Leamington, Ontario, it’s perfectly natural that Keith would wind up working in fresh produce. But an awareness that he always wanted to be in IT and a fascination with how the latest technology can serve our industry has helped him ensure Nature Fresh is among the leaders in the arena for the 12 years he has been with the company. 

“Helping growers do things better without getting in their way has always been my goal. Now, with this new implementation, information that used to take 4–6 hours to gather is now collected in an hour. We can do several times in a day what used to only be possible twice a day, and more accurately,” Keith shared. “I had a teacher who once said if you can find a way to make money doing something you love, it will never feel like work. That is what this is for me.”

Congratulations, Keith and team, on this enormous accomplishment and well-deserved recognition!