Coaldale, Alta., November 14, 2018 – McCain Foods (Canada) announced Stiekema-Kolhorn Joint Venture as 2017 Crop Year Champion Potato Grower for Alberta during the annual Growers’ Appreciation Banquet. Approximately 140 guests gathered to celebrate the Top Growers and their achievements and enjoy a celebratory evening together at the Lethbridge Coast Inn on November 8.
Master of ceremonies for the evening was Jeremy Carter, Field Department Manager, while Colin McLean, Field Representative, announced the Top 10 Growers. Both expressed congratulations to the winning growers, along with Allison McCain, Chairman of McCain Foods Limited, Danielle Barran, President, McCain Foods Canada, Dale McCarthy, VP Integrated Supply Chain NA, Christine Wentworth, VP Agriculture NA, Jim Waugh, Sr. Director Manufacturing, Andrew Jay, Coaldale Plant Manager.
“The frozen potato industry is in an expansion phase and this is an interesting moment in time for all of us to meet the demands of a growing worldwide population with an improved standard of living,” stated Christine Wentworth in her address to the grower partners. “This phase is an opportunity to invest in technology to do things better with improved information and I am proud to say that Alberta growers continue to be be leaders in farming innovation. Your potatoes and focus on continuous improvement enable McCain to create the best French fries and frozen potato products.”
Danielle Barran also thanked the growers for their partnership and hard work, sharing “how integrally linked our businesses are and how important our relationship is to our mutual success.” She also emphasized that “McCain views the grower relationship as an extension of our business. Together, we make the wonderful McCain foods that Canadian families know and love.”
Back Row, l-r: Jim Waugh, Sr. Director Manufacturing, Jeremy Carter, Field Department Manager, Christine Wentworth, VP Agriculture NA, Andrew Jay, Plant Manager, Ryland Nakamura, Tony Woudwijk, Dwayne Vossebelt, Delbert Vossebelt, JP Claassen, Chris Perry, John Vossebelt, Harold Perry, Luc Delanoy, Dale McCarthy, VP Integrated Supply Chain NA, Danielle Barran, President, McCain Foods Canada, Allison McCain, Chairman, McCain Foods Limited.
Lauran Stiekema and Jaco Kolhorn accepted the Champion Grower award. Stiekema-Kolhorn has made the Top 10 list seven times, but this is their first time achieving the Champion Grower award.
The Growers who qualified for the Top 10 roster, in order of final standing were:
1. Stiekema-Kolhorn (Lauran Stiekema, Jaco Kolhorn, Laus Stiekema – Champion Grower)
2. S-Scan Farms (Stan and Stuart Kanagawa)
3. Bow Island Potatoes (Jaap and Christina Remijn)
4. Woudwijk Farms (Tony and Kate Woudwijk)
5. Nakamura Farms (Greg, Bruce, Lynden, Ryland, Michael Nakamura )
6. Bydevaate Farms (Brent and Casey Bydevaate)
7. Chin Coulee Spud Farms (John, Delbert and Dwayne Vossebelt)
8. Claassen Farms (Louis and J.P. Claassen)
9. Perry Produce (Harold and Chris Perry)
10. Prairieview Seed Potatoes (Luc Delanoy and Ann Zalik)
A strong, sustainable Canadian business
Alberta growers annually harvest about 21,450 hectares of potatoes, which represents about fifteen percent of Canada’s total potato crop. McCain works closely with our valued grower partners to support the continued demand for McCain frozen potato and potato specialty segments in both the retail and food service businesses. More than 220 dedicated employees work at the McCain facility in Coaldale and are part of a proudly Canadian-based company with a global enterprise, including more than 20,000 employees operating out of 53 production facilities on six continents with sales in excess of CDN $9.5 billion.
