Two potato farms in Alberta and Saskatchewan are taking their produce directly to the heat-and-serve convenience food market.
Barrich Farms of Outlook, Sask., about 90 km south of Saskatoon, and Bassano Growers at Bassano, Alta., about 140 km east of Calgary, have set up a joint venture called Todays Potatoes, with a processing facility at Bassano. The new venture recently launched its products at supermarkets in both provinces.
"The potatoes have been cut and the cooking has been started,"the companies said, and "consumers only need to heat, season and enjoy."
Harry Meyers of Barrich Farms said the idea came from Europe, where food companies have become "world leaders"in the production of ready-to-use, partially cooked, fresh potato products.