Three Farmers: Bridging the gap between producers and consumers

The Three Farmers brand grew out of a desire to bridge the gap between producer and consumer, add value to the crops we grow here in Saskatchewan, and take that to the rest of the world. 

“With increasing urbanization, there’s a lack of understanding about how food is made and where it comes from,” explains Natasha Vandenhurk, CEO of Three Farmers. “We are in a unique position to bridge that gap and tell those stories.” 

The company was started by Vandenhurk’s father and two neighbouring farmers (three farmers) near Midale, SK. She says they were looking for opportunities to add value through processing, but notes that “it was more about getting closer to the end consumer, about working our way up the value chain, and really understanding all of the points between farm and fork.” 

Their first product was camelina oil. Camelina sativa, or false flax, comes from Northern Europe and Central Asia. “We landed on Camelina because it was touted as really great for Saskatchewan climate—drought resistant, cold tolerant, with a short growing season,” says Vandenhurk . 

They were also impressed with Camelina’s nutritional profile. It’s high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 and low in saturated fats. It also contains high amounts of Vitamin E. The oil is cold pressed (extracted without heat or chemicals), which makes it even healthier. 

“Camelina oil was unique to the market, and it had a bunch of characteristics that make it highly nutritious and really functional in the kitchen. So that’s what we took to market in 2012,” says Vandenhurk . 

Three Farmers didn’t launch its snack line until late 2014. Once again, they selected a crop that was well suited to Saskatchewan’s growing conditions and could be turned into a healthy food product. “We always wanted to do something with chickpeas,” Vandenhurk explains. “It checks all the boxes—it’s high in protein and fibre, delicious, sustainable, and amazing for the environment.” 

They started with a hummus product that Vandenhurk says “went terribly wrong. . . We realized that making refrigerated products with a short shelf life in the middle of the prairies and getting them to market was not our expertise. So, we ended that project quite early on and moved into ready-to-eat chickpeas as a snack item.” 

They now sell a range of chickpea, lentil, and fava bean snacks and salad toppers across the Canada and into the US through a range of channels, from small one-off stores to big conventional retail locations. 

Vandenhurk says the consumer packaged goods market is tough, especially for small, emerging companies. “Shelf space is finite and we’re all vying for the same space. We’re competing with billion-dollar organizations, so we really need to be strategic about how we’re positioning ourselves in the market.” 

Three Farmers is a brand that really resonates with people. The company is committed to sustainable growing practices, using minimal processing to produce wholesome food, and helping consumers understand where their food comes from and how it’s made. “Our brand is distinctive in the marketplace and people love our story,” Vandenhurk says. 

They’ve been welcomed into US markets with open arms. “I just returned from a trip to the Pacific Northwest, and consumers in that area are very interested in where their food comes from and what they’re putting in their bodies,” she says. 

An expanding market has also let them expand their manufacturing capabilities, which has made them more attractive to investors. “It’s a volume game,” she explains. “So, you need to grow, and you need to grow quickly.” 

As they expand, Vandenhurk admits that building her team has been a struggle. Saskatchewan doesn’t have a big talent pool when it comes to sales and marketing specific to consumer packaged goods, so they work with remote team members in Vancouver and Toronto. 

However, “we are seeing an influx of production labour from the West Coast, because the cost of living there is atrocious,” she concedes. “I think Saskatchewan is going to become a destination location for the labour market in coming years.” 

Despite the challenges, Vandenhurk has no regrets about building here. “We always have a number of projects going on, and the resources to help us do that are here in the prairies,” she says. 

“When I was starting the company, I knew nothing. I have an economics degree, so I don’t have a science background, I don’t have an ag background,” she says. “I often found myself calling on individuals within the Ag-West Bio community to pick their brains on different subjects and figure out how to move the company forward, whether it be R&D-related or business planning. In recent years, as we’ve scaled, I have continued to lean on the Ag-West Bio community. Tapping into the resources they provide to young companies has been really beneficial.” 

Top photo: Three Farmers products include snacks made from lentils, chickpeas, and fava beans.
Thank you to Three Farmers for the photo.

Michelle Boulton is a Saskatoon-based freelance writer.

This article first appeared in Ag-West Bio’s 2024 Annual Report.

Previous Article – Regenerative Agriculture in Canada: Insights from Dr. Kate Congreves
Next Article – Quantum Genetix: DNA testing to improve efficiency and increase profit for farmers