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Details: The Little Potato Company
Employees: 80
Sector: Agriculture
Key Business Activity: Growing and selling varieties of small potatoes
Contact: 11720-170 Street NW
Edmonton, AB T5S 1J7
780-414-6075
www.littlepotatoes.com
When Angela Santiago planted a one-acre crop of small potatoes in 1996, she couldn’t have envisioned what her enterprise would become. The Little Potato Company is now a multimillion-dollar Alberta success story, ironic given that mini spuds have traditionally been considered sub-grade by many potato growers.
But the variety of products released by LPC caters to more discerning palates. The company is proud to spread the word. “We educate the consumer on the health benefits of potatoes and how easy it is to prepare small potatoes,” says Santiago. “All of the nutrition is in the skin. It’s a healthy product but also convenient, which is what consumers look for.” Quality is crucial to the success of LPC. It has to be — the distinctive brand costs about $4 for a two-pound bag. “The need to have a really good-looking product in that bag is paramount,” says Santiago.
LPC goes to great lengths to ensure the potatoes are top notch. It begins with growers, both local and overseas. Over the years, LPC has sourced out farmers in Alberta, Saskatchewan and PEI, as well as parts of the United States, Europe and South America, where the soil is ideal for growing. The Canadian growing season consists of just four months and LPC’s global growers allow the company to have a year-round brand presence for consumers. “And offering a 12-month supply evolved a better product,” says Santiago.
LPC experiments with different varieties, often bestowing appealing names such as baby boomer, amandine, bushing bell and piccolo. It even features a party bag of several different types of potatoes as one of its product offerings.
Branding is part of LPC’s success. Santiago says the company logo, designed locally almost a decade ago, has withstood the test of time. “Industry and retailers, whether in Canada or the U.S., are very aware of the company and what we do,” says Santiago, proud that LPC also provides products for two private label retailers. “When you think small potatoes, the Little Potato Company comes to mind.”
Quality Control
Before the Little Potato Company’s seven varieties hit the marketplace, a thorough quality control process has to be completed. In addition to maintaining its own strict food safety protocols, LPC is audited several times a year by its retailers. “That keeps us on our toes,” says Santiago.
There are four major checkpoints in the quality control process at the LPC’s 35,000-square-foot facility in Edmonton’s west end:
- Receiving: Checkers ensure they get precisely what they ordered
- Wash line: Graders look over the potatoes again
- Packaging: Quality control personnel look for overweight or underweight packages, and makes sure bags contain only potatoes
- Shipping: Staff check bags once more as they’re loaded onto trucks
It’s a lengthy process but the emphasis on quality control makes for a product that’s as perfect as possible in an industry with inconsistent conditions. “It’s produce,” says Santiago. “It’s not always the same. We don’t make widgets. There are changes based on crops and weather. It’s important to communicate, not only to the buyer but also to the quality control people at their end, so they understand what happens with the different variables.”
Santiago says LPC has gained the trust of retailers. The growth in sales, she believes, is attributable to the consistency of product. “Every time a customer goes to the store they can say, ‘OK, that looks the same as when I bought it last week and I won’t be disappointed,’” Santiago explains. “Quality sets the bar.”
