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Notre aventure commence en 1952, lorsque Pierre et John Van Winden font l’acquisition d’une ferme de terre noire à Sherrington. Les terres de ce type sont alors peu exploitées au Québec, mais les deux frères, forts de leurs expériences et connaissances de leur Hollande natale, savent tirer toutes les qualités de ces champs fertiles. Avec l’arrivée de leur frère Arie, une coopérative d’emballage et de commercialisation est créée avec d’autres agriculteurs du sud du Québec.
Plusieurs années plus tard, les enfants de cette première génération s’intègrent à l’entreprise, et l’apparition des chaînes d’épicerie transforme le milieu. La famille décide de se spécialiser dans les laitues fraîches et de conquérir des marchés voisins du Québec : Maritimes, Ontario, États-Unis. Ils emploient les premiers systèmes de refroidissement modernes de la province.
At FRESH ATTITUDE, we have been growing fresh produce for over 25 years. Specializing in vegetables, mesclun, and salads, our healthy foods are available all year round through traditional, modern, as well as innovative practices.
From our very beginnings, we have adhered to a fundamental principle: delivering freshness and flavour to our customers. Quality and trust are part of every experience you taste.
At FRESH ATTITUDE, we have been growing fresh produce for over 25 years. Specializing in vegetables, mesclun, and salads, our healthy foods are available all year round through traditional, modern, as well as innovative practices.
From our very beginnings, we have adhered to a fundamental principle: delivering freshness and flavour to our customers. Quality and trust are part of every experience you taste.
Our adventure begins in 1952, when Pierre and John Van Winden purchase a farm located in Sherrington. At the time, the muck soil nature of the land is little known and hardly exploited in Quebec. But the two brothers, building on the experience of their native Holland, know how to bring out all the qualities of these fertile fields. With the arrival of their brother Arie, a cooperative is created with other southern Quebec farmers.
Over the following years, their children join the business and the emergence of grocery chains transform the sector. The family decides to specialize in fresh lettuces, as well as conquer neighbouring markets: the Maritimes, Ontario, and the United States. They also install the first modern cooling systems in the province.
Thanks to the Canada-Mexico-United States Free Trade Agreement, Gerry, Pierre Van Winden’s son, develops commercial relations with several American and Mexican producers. In 1998, he partners with Anthony Fantin, along with a few producers from his family and the region, in order to found Vegpro International Inc. Driven by great ambitions and highlighting the benefits of innovation in agriculture, the partners aspire to make Vegpro the country's leading producer and marketer of fresh vegetables.
Projects then start multiplying:
- We create Canada's first corporate farm, specializing in the cultivation of baby spinach and lettuce leaves, known as mesclun.
- The growing of baby lettuces also begins in Florida, where we set up a second farm to supply our customers during winter.
- We build our first baby lettuce packaging and washing centres at the heart of each farm, in order to shorten transportation delays and maintain optimum freshness.
Due to the popularity of our mesclun and other vegetables, the packaging centres in Quebec and Florida both have their capacity doubled only two years after being inaugurated
In 2006, our Sherrington centre is completely destroyed when a fire occurs. Within two weeks, Gerry Van Winden and Anthony Fantin succeed in ensuring that deliveries to our customers continue. Shortly afterwards, our two leaders and their teams start working on reconstruction plans, thereby demonstrating that flexible thinking, strong relationships, and mutual support are essential to overcoming major challenges.
Our new packaging centre is inaugurated a few months later. It includes state-of-the-art equipment for packaging our prewashed baby lettuces in containers instead of bags. Later on, this enables us to develop a second range of products: our ready-to-eat salads with dressing and garnishes. All these products quickly become very popular, making FRESH ATTITUDE a benchmark for fresh vegetables.
During the 2010s, FRESH ATTITUDE enjoys great success with consumers. During the 2010s, FRESH ATTITUDE enjoys great success with consumers. In order to meet demand, our Sherrington packaging centre doubles in size on two occasions. In 2012, the acquisition of a local company, specializing in carrot and onion packaging, enables us to market these vegetables under a variety of brands.
In 2018, we deploy our business model across Canada by building a packaging centre on lands located in Coldstream, British Columbia. Our methods, tried and tested in Quebec and Florida, are reproduced and adapted there, thus creating new local jobs. The Okanagan Valley's favourable climate allows us to develop the largest organic baby lettuce crop in Canada.
In 2022, our President Gerry Van Winden decides to conclude the family adventure that had begun with the modest farm established by his parents and uncles 70 years earlier. Anthony Fantin, his partner from the early days, and building on his innovative spirit and years of experience in growing the company, becomes Vegpro’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Our mission continues with a new majority shareholder, Vision Ridge, an investment company whose focus is on sustainable agriculture.
In 2024, we bring a breath of fresh air to our FRESH ATTITUDE brand by renewing our logo and packaging, thereby adopting a more colourful, modern, and distinctive image.
At FRESH ATTITUDE, our promise is to encourage nutrition that supports your good health. We offer you quality products that are healthy, tasty, original, and easy to prepare, for an exceptional and delicious experience.
From senior management to front-line employees, we are united in our quest for excellence. All our products are the fruit of teamwork driven by a passion for health, nature, sustainable solutions, and food autonomy.
At FRESH ATTITUDE, our promise is to encourage nutrition that supports your good health. We offer you quality products that are healthy, tasty, original, and easy to prepare, for an exceptional and delicious experience.
From senior management to front-line employees, we are united in our quest for excellence. All our products are the fruit of teamwork driven by a passion for health, nature, sustainable solutions, and food autonomy.
Each and every one of us plays an essential role in achieving our mission.
We are driven by the desire to offer healthy, high-quality products.
We understand the importance of each task making up the food chain.
We are respectful and open to others and to our environment.
Our actions favour autonomy and nourishing our communities.
Joining our team means living a commitment that embraces all of our values. Every person plays an important role within our organization. Cultivate your commitment by joining our team!