National lettuce company now growing produce in the Okanagan Valley

It’s not every day that a national brand makes this level of commitment to come to the Okanagan Valley — specifically Coldstream. Vegpro International Inc. has been working tirelessly to develop farmland and build their production facility.

In season, the wide variety of Fresh Attitude ready to eat salad kits and lettuces come from their farms and facility in Coldstream, BC. With their packing plant being located on the same land as their fields, they can get the freshly-cut lettuce washed and packed within a few hours after harvest.

Farmland and facility here in the valley

Vegpro has been actively growing produce on 700 acres of farmland and finalizing the construction of their facility over the last year — a 70,000 sq. ft. washing and packing facility.

This dedication to sustainable farming keeps their lettuce and vegetables fresh and the soil full of nutrients. The packing facility is fully sanitized every day, with allergen and microbiological controls, Vegpro is adamant about keeping their products safe for customers.

With the Okanagan Valley as a great location for growing produce, Vegpro has recently begun developing more farmland — keep your eyes peeled for employment opportunities in the future!

Fresh, delicious produce

Fresh Attitude offers fresh, pre-washed salad with a variety of different combinations including baby kale, arugula, spinach and more, plus flavourful ready to eat salad kits that are easy to put together.

But they also go above and beyond — cue the drool. To help you enhance your meals, there are plenty of recipes on their website. Whether it’s a chocolate and spinach smoothie for breakfast or baby kale risotto with toasted pine nuts for dinner, there are tons of healthy, delicious recipes just waiting to be tested.

Locally-grown

Fresh Attitude produce is locally-grown, harvested, packaged and sold in stores like Walmart, Save-on-Foods, Sobey’s, Safeway, Quality Foods, Fresh Street Market and many more. Because of the focus on local, a majority of the employees are from the Okanagan Valley.

“Less than a year ago, with the support of our retail partners, we inaugurated this new plant, which employs 160 people today,” said Luc Prévost, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

“We are proud to generate new employment opportunities for the local workforce and meet the growing consumer demand.”

“I’m so incredibly proud to call the Okanagan home. Growing up here since I was seven years old, my memories are filled with summer al fresco meals with juicy peaches from our tree and carrots fresh from the garden,” said Tori Wesszer, a local dietician, food blogger, and owner of Fraiche Nutrition.

“Agriculture is at the heart of this beautiful valley, which is why I was so thrilled to discover that Fresh Attitude set up shop right here in the Okanagan, growing fresh greens that are packed within hours of being picked when the season permits.”

“It’s really amazing to know that Fresh Attitude has invested in creating so many jobs that support the local economy,” added Wesszer.

“From a nutrition perspective, greens are king. If I was to give one piece of nutrition advice as a dietitian, it’s eating more greens! Leafy greens are rich in disease-fighting antioxidants, fibre, and nutrients like potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin C and vitamin A and are super low in calories. What’s not to love?”

Sustainable farming while providing the freshest ready to eat salads and produce is what Vegpro and Fresh Attitude are all about. For more information on their processes, products, and recipes, check them out here.