Connecting You to the Source.
Meet some of our Ontario suppliers.
Townsend Butchers: A model for the future
There's nothing more important than the relationship between the butcher and the farmer. Minimal travel times, family connections, and a passion for quality and humane farming practices are what make the relationship between Prinzen & Sons farm and Townsend Butchers so special. The relationship between these two Ontario operations are paving the way and acting as an example for how small sustainable farming can be the future for feeding the province's population.
West Grey Premium Beef: Raising beef for generations
The West Grey Premium Beef family has successfully raised beef for generations. This amounts to over 100 years of hands on experience and over the last decade and a half they have extended their knowledge to beef processing as well. With their “Test Verified” program, West Grey does not make claims they cannot uphold. Their “Test Verified” system was developed with advice from professional veterinarians and experts from the University of Guelph so you can trust that West Grey’s antibiotic claims are valid!
Caudle's Catch: Sourcing sustainably
Finding certified, wild caught, properly packaged fish that bypasses China is a challenge. So, to get the best of the best, we had to go to the best of the best. Caudle's Catch is not only a family operated Ontario operation, they also specialize in bringing in top quality wild caught fish from all over the world. In the early 1980's Ron Caudle left his hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia and headed west to Kitchener-Waterloo to begin a career. Caudle's Catch Seafood imports the best products from around the world, including the United States, South and Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, New Zealand, and of course Canada.
Heritage Cattle Co.: 100% Grass-fed, grass-finished beef.
Meet Aaron, Ben and George MacDonald, the people behind our 100% grass-fed Ontario beef. They are the owners of Heritage Cattle Company, a family farm operating in Keene, Ontario in the beautiful farmland south of Peterborough. They believe in the quality of product and quality of life, tracing every animal on the farm from start to finish to ensure healthy, fresh, natural beef. In their words, "Our reputation is on the line, so we not only eat what we sell, but ensure that the same quality beef we want to eat is the same quality beef that we sell. Grass fed beef requires lots of good pasture, fences, and dedicated farmers; this is what we do best."
Beverly Creek Farms: Putting Ontario lamb back on the map
With such media coverage around New Zealand lamb, people sometimes forget that Ontario lamb is regarded as some of the best in the world. Beverly Creek Farms in Millgrove Ontario is on a mission to prove that a small family run operation can help put Ontario lamb back on the map.
3Gen Organics
The 3Gen Organics farm has been in their family for five generations, and all aspects of the farming operation are owned by three generations of the Israel family. They operate 540 acres of organic cropland, raising Certified Organic pigs. Their pigs have outdoor access and plenty of space to roam around and do what pigs do best. The pigs are raised on an all organic, chemical/GMO-free diet, resulting in an incredible quality of pork.
Majestic Water Buffalo
Wondering where we get our delicious water buffalo sausages and ground water buffalo from? Introducing Karen and Andy from Majestic Water Buffalo. They have been breeding water buffalo on their small family farm since 2015 in the Township of Erin, Ontario, Canada. They realize these days consumers want to know more about their food and where it comes from so they are always happy to share what they've learned along the way. Their water buffalo are raised to the highest standards of animal welfare on their 97-acre farm alongside Angus cattle. We're excited to have Majestic Water Buffalo on board as one of our latest suppliers of truLOCAL Ontario!
Cory Van Gronigen
Farming is a family business – at least, that’s the case for Cory Van Gronigen. Passed down through the generations from the 1970’s to present day, Cory raises his chickens on pasture on a lush hilltop farm in Cayuga, Ontario. The chickens are raised completely outdoors, with access to huts to protect from predators – the chickens are never raised in barns. He is focused on implementing regenerative agriculture processes on their farms to improve the water cycle, improve mineral cycling, increase biodiversity, and enhance energy flow, developing a holistic system that mutually benefits farmers, animals, and the land.
Springhills Trout Farm
The Taylors bought a 90-acre fly fishing club on a spring-fed creek in 1986, it took them almost ten years to convert it to a fish farm which opened in 1995. Opportunities to modernize and acquire additional operations, and expand their hatchery and processing capability over the past 25+ years have made the Taylor family and their loyal crew the largest vertically integrated fish farm in the province. The folks at Springhills fully own and operate everything from the hatcheries to the final processing which means the fish is safely controlled and carefully managed from tiny hatchlings to frozen fillets. This also means that the fish is barely hours old before it is cleaned, deboned, filleted and flash frozen ready for delivery to your doorstep. You can’t get fresher fish than that in Ontario unless you caught it yourself. The Springhills team has earned the highest global designation in terms of food safety and environmental sustainability. Their operation is both Ocean Wise recommended and certified by Best Aquaculture Practices. The second-generation brother and sister duo currently at the helm of Springhills’ live and breathe aquaculture and are respected leaders and modern innovators in the Ontario fish farming industry.
Afishionado Fishmongers
Afishionado Fishmongers, a female-led fishmonger in Bedford, Nova Scotia, specializes in processing sustainably sourced fish and seafood from the Atlantic region. Sustainable seafood has been caught or raised in a manner that will maintain or increase production in the long term, without jeopardizing the health or function of the web of life in our oceans. Afishionado is committed to supporting small scale sustainable Atlantic fishing communities that use low-impact fishing and aquaculture methods. All Afishionado products are Oceanwise certified, which is an ocean conservation program that empowers consumers to choose sustainable options that support healthy oceans both today and in the future. Eating fish twice a week provides all the Omega-3 fatty acids we need for optimal brain, eye, and nerve function. Fish lovers can dine ethically and responsibly when they select Afishionado products.
Fenwood Farms
Fenwood Farms has raised premium quality chicken for 20+ years in Ancaster, Ontario. Their birds are certified organic and are never given antibiotics or synthetic growth proponents. Instead, they are given an exclusive feed blended with grains, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics, and access to the outdoors to rummage for the bugs and worms that chickens are supposed to eat. Their chickens are air-chilled to maintain the flavour in the meat and avoid excessive shrinkage when cooked. Plus, they are just really good people.
