Federal support is allowing Thompson Potato Company Inc. to increase its processing capacity and extend the packing season, creating longer term employment for staff while supporting local potato growers.
A repayable contribution of $350,000, provided through Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s (ACOA) Business Development Program will help the company build a new state-of-the-art ventilated storage expansion onto its facility in Victoria, P.E.I., and install optical sorting equipment.
“The storage upgrades and new optical equipment are essential to our plan for long-term, sustainable growth at Thompson Potato, and we are grateful for the repayable support from ACOA that helps us to make these investments now,” said Wayne Thompson with Thompson Potato Company Inc. “The latest steps give us the capacity to better serve growers across P.E.I., access new export markets and expand employment opportunities with our company.”
Thompson Potato Company was incorporated in 2007 and is owned by brothers James Thompson and Wayne Thompson. The operation grows 40 to 50 acres of potatoes annually. In addition, the family farm — owned by John and James Thompson) — grows an additional 190 acres that feed into Thompson Potato Company. The company also packs product from growers across the Island.
The technology upgrades enable the company to extend its packing season to 12 months of the year, providing customers with continuous supply. The new optical grading and sizing equipment will allow greater efficiency and provide wider access to high value markets that require tighter size and grade specification.
