Simpson Seeds officially broke ground on its new pulse processing facility June 26, which by next year will bring additional ag-sector employment to Moose Jaw and more agricultural processing capabilities to the province.
The announcement took place as employees of Bob Nelson Construction worked diligently and involved Mayor Clive Tolley, Rob Clark, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, and MP Fraser Tolmie alongside members of the team at Simpsons Seeds.
“We’re a third-generation business, and we’re proud to remain that way,” declared Elyce Simpson-Fraser, CEO of Simpson Seeds. “(We) have plans to continue that for as long as we can.
“We’ve always believed in bringing value to Saskatchewan’s farmers,” she continued. “We’re happy to announce that we’re going to continue that value-added (capability) with a pulse (processing) facility.”
The new facility will have a footprint of around 7,000 square feet (650 square metres) – less than some adjacent warehouse facilities – but the value-added project isn’t simply about size.
“It’s not all about large machines…; it’s more about creating niche products and more specialized products,” explained Nicole Simpson-Allport, director of value-added operations.
Simpson-Allport said the new facility, once operational, will run on a 24-hour basis and provide an ideal complement to a process the company is already familiar with.
Simpson-Allport started her current position in November 2021 after working with the family business for around 16 years.
“It worked out well that my role was shifting within the company,” she said. “I took this on, and it has been a lot of learning, but… it’s an exciting time for our company and… the industry.”
The decision to focus on lentils was made after considering current industry trends, and Simpson-Allport made specific mention of the growing rise in popularity of plant-based products such as hamburgers which are typically made with other legumes.
“Lentils specifically haven’t been largely explored,” she said. “We’ve had lots of customers on our end asking for them and, being that we’ve always prioritized lentils in our whole production, it was just a natural transition into that.”
Historically, agricultural products such as split lentils, pulses, or flours would be shipped overseas to countries like Turkey or Italy, processed, and shipped back to Canada to be sold in grocery stores or canned.
“It’s actually nice that we can… keep (this entire process) on Canadian soil,” she said. “We grow some of the best pulses in the world, so to be able to do some of those value-added processes here… continues to give our (agricultural) producers… a reason to grow pulses.”
By keeping the value-added processing right here in Saskatchewan, Simpson-Allport said healthy food products like lentils are less likely to spoil, thereby helping to feed today’s growing world.
“If a tonne (of lentils) gets spoiled, it’s a tonne that doesn’t make it to market,” she noted.
Mayor Tolley pointed out that Moose Jaw was historically a natural hub for agri-food processing and said this project is a step in the right direction to help the city regain its standing as a world leader in the industry.
“I think Simpson Seeds is a leader,” Tolley said. “Their slogan is ‘Nourishing the World,’ and they’re actually doing it. It’s exciting to see them expanding.”
The new facility is expected to open in early 2025 and the announcement could be as few as six or seven months away.
Simpson Seeds Inc. is located at 1170 North Service Road and can be reached at 306-693-2132. For more information about the local family business, visit SimpsonSeeds.com.
