Grown close to you
The Fresh Attitude adventure started from the union of farmers for more than three generations with the goal of providing nearby communities and beyond with the freshest lettuces and local vegetables available. Scroll around the map to see our farms and packing plants locations.
SALADE ETCETERA! FACILITY, QUEBEC
Inaugurated in 2007, the Sherrington packing plant now covers more than 260,000 sq. ft. of area. The plant is located in the heart of farmland to immediately cool and pack the harvested lettuce. State-of-the art automated washing and packing lines work 18 hours a day, 7 days a week in order to produce ready to eat salad kits and fresh mesclun. Houses are also there to accommodate foreign workers.
GREEN NATURE FARM, FLORIDA
The corporate farm also harvests about 1100 acres of mesclun in Florida to supply eastern packing plants during the winter months. Some of our employees travel from Quebec to Florida every season to follow the activities throughout the year. Major efforts are made to improve and protect the land. From drainage work to the construction of dikes, through the installation of underground aqueducts, priority is given to water management.
GREEN NATURE FARM, BRITISH COLUMBIA
In Spring 2018, the corporate farm expanded its farming operations in the Okanagan Valley on 700 acres of premium agricultural land to grow a sizable production of mesclun for Western Canada. Favorable climate and quality soils will also allow Vegpro International to establish Canada’s first and leading organic lettuce growing operation, proving a locally grown alternative to the organic produce that usually originates from the West Coast of the US.
TRUSTED PARTNERS FARMS, ARIZONA & CALIFORNIA
When it’s too cold in Canada and too warm in Florida or vice versa, we gratefully rely on our farming partners in both Yuma, Arizona and Salinas, California to supply us with top grade fresh mesclun for a few weeks in the spring and fall seasons. We make sure each and every outside supplier we source from applies the same rigorous food safety protocols we commit ourselves to on our own farms and all raw produce is inspected upon reception to our plants.
SALAD ETCETERA! FACILITY, FLORIDA
In the 00’s, Salade Etcetera! Florida is a seasonal packing plant that operates only during the winter months with equipment that is brought down from Quebec. Significant sales increases in Florida in 2010 brings the Belle Glade plant to operate throughout the from Quebec during the summer. The plant now covers an area of 60,000 sq. ft. and has several washing and packing lines operated by approximately 60 employees from 5 to 6 days a week.
SALAD ETCETERA! FACILITY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Built in Spring 2018, Coldstream packing plant is a smaller replica of the Quebec facility, with a 70,000 sq. ft. capacity adjacent to the fields where the mesclun is harvested. This new packing plant is creating employment opportunities for local communities. Fresh Attitude ready to eat salad kits and fresh lettuces is packing for Western Canada markets, following the same strict food safety and quality protocols as our other facilities.
CAMS FACILITY, QUEBEC
Acquired in 2010, CAMS is as large as 5 hockey rinks and packs enough carrots and onions to meet the demand of city dwellers from Boston and Quebec combined. The building was completely renovated in 2012 and 2013 to support the growth of our local vegetables offering. All the equipment was replaced with the most advanced carrot and onion storage, sorting and packing lines in the country.
VERT NATURE FARM, QUEBEC
Faced with the growing potential of baby lettuces, the partners of Vegpro International establish a corporate farm dedicated solely to their culture in 2000. Today, Vert Nature grows over 2000 acres in Quebec, mostly of mesclun but also carrots and onions. A real hub for research and development, 200 new varieties are tested each year. In high season, 250 employees team up for soil preparation, planting, harvesting or machinery maintenance.
MARAÎCHERS JPL GUÉRIN ET FILS FARM, QUEBEC
This family-owned business, founded by the Van Winden’s good friends Jean-Paul and Louise Guerin in 1983, is now managed by the couple’s sons Jean-Claude and Robert. The farm specializes in growing mature lettuces such as Iceberg, Romaine and Fresh Attitude Salanova® Duo Gourmet, yellow and red onions, carrots and cauliflowers on 500 acres of vegetables in the muck soils of Sherrington. It also has a one-acre greenhouse for lettuce transplants.
HOTTE & VAN WINDEN FARMS, QUEBEC
In 1979, two childhood friends, Yvan Hotte and Jean-Bernard Van Winden decide to join their destinies and buy land in Napierville. As the 2nd generation slowly takes over, the farm now cultivates about 750 acres and specializes in Iceberg and Romaine lettuce, working in collaboration with Agriculture Canada to develop lettuces adapted to northeastern conditions. So far three new varieties originating from this program are cultivated by Vegpro International’s partners.
DELFLAND FARM, QUEBEC
This farm is established in 1958 by Arie, brother of John and Pierre Van Winden. As the next generation takes over in the 1983, they buy more land and eventually concentrate their operations in the municipality of Napierville. Today, the company cultivates over 1000 acres. More than 175 people are working seasonally, including several sisters-in-law, children, nieces and nephews, to grow romaine and iceberg lettuces and the famous Fresh Attitude dry shallots.
PRODUCTIONS HORTICOLES VAN WINDEN FARMS, QUEBEC
In the early 1990s, sons of John Van Winden, Patrick and Denys take over the family farm. Today, a 3rd generation is involved in the management of the now 600 acres farm. Passionate about agriculture, the company is a founding member of a detection and control system network (PRISM), a shareholder for two co-packing companies: carrots (SAPEC) and onions (Onipro), and partner in a cooling and packaging facility for lettuce (Multi-Veg Coop).
VERT NATURE FARM, QUEBEC
Faced with the growing potential of baby lettuces, the partners of Vegpro International establish a corporate farm dedicated solely to their culture in 2000. Today, Vert Nature grows over 2000 acres in Quebec, mostly of mesclun but also carrots and onions. A real hub for research and development, 200 new varieties are tested each year. In high season, 250 employees team up for soil preparation, planting, harvesting or machinery maintenance.
SALADE ETCETERA! FACILITY, QUEBEC
Inaugurated in 2007, the Sherrington packing plant now covers more than 260,000 sq. ft. of area. The plant is located in the heart of farmland to immediately cool and pack the harvested lettuce. State-of-the art automated washing and packing lines work 18 hours a day, 7 days a week in order to produce ready to eat salad kits and fresh mesclun. Houses are also there to accommodate foreign workers.
GREEN NATURE FARM, FLORIDA
The corporate farm also harvests about 1100 acres of mesclun in Florida to supply eastern packing plants during the winter months. Some of our employees travel from Quebec to Florida every season to follow the activities throughout the year. Major efforts are made to improve and protect the land. From drainage work to the construction of dikes, through the installation of underground aqueducts, priority is given to water management.
CAMS FACILITY, QUEBEC
Acquired in 2010, CAMS is as large as 5 hockey rinks and packs enough carrots and onions to meet the demand of city dwellers from Boston and Quebec combined. The building was completely renovated in 2012 and 2013 to support the growth of our local vegetables offering. All the equipment was replaced with the most advanced carrot and onion storage, sorting and packing lines in the country.
SALAD ETCETERA! FACILITY, FLORIDA
In the 00’s, Salade Etcetera! Florida is a seasonal packing plant that operates only during the winter months with equipment that is brought down from Quebec. Significant sales increases in Florida in 2010 brings the Belle Glade plant to operate throughout the from Quebec during the summer. The plant now covers an area of 60,000 sq. ft. and has several washing and packing lines operated by approximately 60 employees from 5 to 6 days a week.
GREEN NATURE FARM, BRITISH COLUMBIA
In Spring 2018, the corporate farm expanded its farming operations in the Okanagan Valley on 700 acres of premium agricultural land to grow a sizable production of mesclun for Western Canada. Favorable climate and quality soils will also allow Vegpro International to establish Canada’s first and leading organic lettuce growing operation, proving a locally grown alternative to the organic produce that usually originates from the West Coast of the US.
SALAD ETCETERA! FACILITY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Built in Spring 2018, Coldstream packing plant is a smaller replica of the Quebec facility, with a 70,000 sq. ft. capacity adjacent to the fields where the mesclun is harvested. This new packing plant is creating employment opportunities for local communities. Fresh Attitude ready to eat salad kits and fresh lettuces is packing for Western Canada markets, following the same strict food safety and quality protocols as our other facilities.
MARAÎCHERS JPL GUÉRIN ET FILS FARM, QUEBEC
This family-owned business, founded by the Van Winden’s good friends Jean-Paul and Louise Guerin in 1983, is now managed by the couple’s sons Jean-Claude and Robert. The farm specializes in growing mature lettuces such as Iceberg, Romaine and Fresh Attitude Salanova® Duo Gourmet, yellow and red onions, carrots and cauliflowers on 500 acres of vegetables in the muck soils of Sherrington. It also has a one-acre greenhouse for lettuce transplants.
HOTTE & VAN WINDEN FARMS, QUEBEC
In 1979, two childhood friends, Yvan Hotte and Jean-Bernard Van Winden decide to join their destinies and buy land in Napierville. As the 2nd generation slowly takes over, the farm now cultivates about 750 acres and specializes in Iceberg and Romaine lettuce, working in collaboration with Agriculture Canada to develop lettuces adapted to northeastern conditions. So far three new varieties originating from this program are cultivated by Vegpro International’s partners.
DELFLAND FARM, QUEBEC
This farm is established in 1958 by Arie, brother of John and Pierre Van Winden. As the next generation takes over in the 1983, they buy more land and eventually concentrate their operations in the municipality of Napierville. Today, the company cultivates over 1000 acres. More than 175 people are working seasonally, including several sisters-in-law, children, nieces and nephews, to grow romaine and iceberg lettuces and the famous Fresh Attitude dry shallots.
PRODUCTIONS HORTICOLES VAN WINDEN FARMS, QUEBEC
In the early 1990s, sons of John Van Winden, Patrick and Denys take over the family farm. Today, a 3rd generation is involved in the management of the now 600 acres farm. Passionate about agriculture, the company is a founding member of a detection and control system network (PRISM), a shareholder for two co-packing companies: carrots (SAPEC) and onions (Onipro), and partner in a cooling and packaging facility for lettuce (Multi-Veg Coop).
TRUSTED PARTNERS FARMS, ARIZONA & CALIFORNIA
When it’s too cold in Canada and too warm in Florida or vice versa, we gratefully rely on our farming partners in both Yuma, Arizona and Salinas, California to supply us with top grade fresh mesclun for a few weeks in the spring and fall seasons. We make sure each and every outside supplier we source from applies the same rigorous food safety protocols we commit ourselves to on our own farms and all raw produce is inspected upon reception to our plants.
Sustainable farming
GROWING A GREENER LETTUCE
The quality of our fresh salad mixes begins with a very rigorous seed selection process. This is an essential step to make sure that our mesclun and fresh salads have a perfect flavor, color and texture at every stage of their lives from the sprout to your plate. It also highlights varieties with higher disease resistance requiring minimal to no treatment when growing.
The muck soils where we grow our fresh lettuces are unique and ideal for growing delicate baby lettuces. Resulting from the decomposition of wetlands several thousand years ago, they are very rich in organic matter and in nutrients, which explains their dark color. Yet they are also fragile and we strive to preserve them by adopting sustainable growing practices.
HARVESTING THE FRESHNESS
An important part of maintaining our soil fertility is to alternate. Every day, our agronomists visit our fields to detect any problems (insects and diseases) and recommend localized curative treatment only if we cannot do otherwise.
They also target which field will be harvested according to the produce’s degree of maturity. Choosing the right time to harvest is crucial to ensure optimal freshness of your favorite mixed greens. However, like all gardeners of this world, closely tracked weather conditions may drive us to adapt throughout the season when we sow, water, grow and harvest.
Freshly-packed
A DELICATE AND THOROUGH WASHING
With our packing plants being located on the same land as our fields, we can get the freshly-cut lettuces to be cooled, washed and packed within a few hours after harvest, ensuring the freshest ready to eat salads on your plates. Not only are many kilometers saved in transport, we also make good use of unpacked lettuces through composting which will enrich the muck soil we grow our local vegetables in.
All our fresh salad mixes are carefully pre-washed in state of the art equipment. These washers are used to intensely clean dirt while respecting the fragile texture of mesclun leaves. Any remaining debris are discarded through infrared technology detectors.
THE ART OF BLENDING FLAVOURS
Our research and development team are devoted to you, who every day, are choosing our delicious salads as part of your healthy lifestyle. At Fresh Attitude, we are making it a priority to further develop our own blends so each one is as tasty and original as the other.
Awarded on numerous occasions for our sense of innovation, we take great joy in creating ready to eat fresh salad kits with flavourful, healthy combinations of salad toppings and exclusive, chef-crafted dressings, all made from natural, artificial colour and preservative free ingredients. At all time, we apply rigorous procedures to minimize the allergen propagation risk in the closed and controlled area where we pack our products
At your local store
OUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY
As soon as our mesclun and fresh salads are washed and dried, they are packed by our cutting edge, automated equipment in 100% recyclable, sealed containers designed to protect and ensure lettuce freshness until opening. Each container is marked with a “best-before” date and production code as part of our quality and traceability systems that exceed the industry’s minimum standards expressed by government and independent agencies by far.
From seeding to shipping, our quality control team are fully dedicated to offer safe products of impeccable quality. We complement our internal approach through audits by certified external agencies and from Ecocert Canada and US for our organic salads.
THE JOURNEY TO YOUR PLATE
As soon as they are packed, our Fresh Attitude salads are shipped to major grocery retailers across Canada and the United States to be placed in their produce section refrigerated shelves. The geographic proximity with our customers is key to our success as it allows us to optimize delivery routes, reduce our energy footprint caused by transport and spare precious days of freshness compared to produce coming from the West Coast of the U.S..
Since our products have a natural limited shelf-life, we do not produce anything in advance. We harvest, wash and pack mesclun only when the retailors orders are in. Depending on your location, it takes 1 to 3 days for your favourite fresh salads to reach your store.
