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'Entrance into the future': Potato packer gets $1M ACOA loan for upgrades

A potato packer in eastern P.E.I. is expanding its operations with a loan from ACOA.

New technology will expand product offerings and reduce environmental impact

Kevin Yarr, Tom Steepe · CBC News ·
Rollo Bay Holdings ships potatoes across North America. (Tom Steepe/CBC)

A potato packer in eastern P.E.I. is expanding its operations with a loan from ACOA.

Rollo Bay Holdings, which has been growing potatoes for 70 years, will upgrade its processing and packaging equipment with an ACOA loan worth $1,045,045.

"Clearly it's an entrance into the future," said Ray Keenan, one of the owners of Rollo Bay Holdings.

New technology

"Our consumers today and our customers are demanding a lot more knowledge about their product. Where it came from, traced back, food security, food safety. All of the above and more importantly, on time, continuity of supply and deliveries on a year round basis."

The new equipment includes state-of-the-art technology for detecting metal and other foreign objects, an X-ray for any internal foreign objects and defects, as well as an optical potato grading system.

This X-ray machine examine the potato for any internal defects and foreign material before moving on to the final step of processing. (Tom Steepe/CBC)

In a news release, ACOA says the investment will allow the company to focus on higher value product development.

The upgrades will also create skilled positions for workers, and allow Rollo Bay Holdings to improve environmental standards in its operations through reduced waste, water and energy use.

'If you can't measure it, you can't manage it'

Keenan said it will also allow the company to plan for the future.

"It has tremendous information capacity as to what comes off it, different grades and sizes," said Keenan.

This optical grading system has a series of cameras that help identify whether the potato has any defects. (Tom Steepe/CBC)

"So, now we can create data with it, and that data will tell us in five years time, what did that field do? Is that a field we should be planting potatoes or not be planting? What did it yield? How many sizes did we get off that field? Were they optimum sizes? All of those issues are extremely important when you try to measure the efficiency of an acre of potatoes."

"If you can't measure it, you can't manage it, and this is a measuring tool is what it really is, and that's one of the things we'll get the most out of it moving forward."

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