Radiance’s Canadian reach is expanding
Two new Canadian sweet potato propagators are joining American-based Jones Family Farms in bringing Vineland’s early-maturing sweet potato Radiance to Canadian commercial growers and avid home gardeners.
Alberta Sweet Potatoes will be growing Radiance slips for the first time in 2021. Located in Jenner, Alberta the new enterprise is led by grower Stephanie Lessner and parents Marjorie and James Larson. Experienced livestock and grain farmers, this family team identified the need in the Canadian Prairies for sweet potato slips and realized how uniquely positioned they are to supply this emerging market.
“I am excited about the opportunity of supplying growers in British Columbia and the Prairie provinces where sweet potato cultivation is growing and access to slips through traditional suppliers can be a challenge,” said Lessner.
Alberta Sweet Potatoes will have a limited supply of Radiance slips for sale in 2021. But with expected increasing demand from western Canadian growers plans are in place to expand production in coming years.
New supplier for home garden market
Located in Headingly, Manitoba T&T Seeds is a family-owned business specializing in early season garden seed and nursery stock for home and market gardeners. T&T Seeds has been selling sweet potato plants across the country both online and in-store since 2019 and has added Radiance to its product catalogue.
“This year we are thrilled to increase our production capacity and partner with Vineland to grow Radiance sweet potatoes and help Canadians get a taste for this new root,” said Kevin Twomey, T&T Seeds’ General Manager.
Since Radiance’s launch to commercial growers in 2017, home gardeners have been looking forward to growing it themselves. This new project will ensure Radiance sweet potatoes are available to consumers not only in grocery stores but fresh from their own gardens.
As the opportunity increases to continue growing the Canadian sweet potato slip industry, Vineland looks to partner with slip producers from different locations across the country. If you are interested in partnering with Vineland, please contact:
Amanda Moen, Sr. Business Advisor, Commercialization and Intellectual Property
905-562-0320 x6687
amanda.moen@vinelandresearch.com
Commercial growers in British Columbia and the Prairie provinces wanting more information can reach:
Stephanie Lessner, Owner, Alberta Sweet Potatoes
albertasweetpotatoes@gmail.com
albertasweetpotatoes.com
For more information on the home garden market:
Kevin Twomey, General Manager, T&T Seeds
kevin@ttseeds.com
ttseeds.com
