Two former bankers just saved Quebec's cucumber sector. The new kings of fermented pickles first bought Putter's, a 75-year-old company, and then took over their bankrupt competitor's factory.
• Also read: It's the end of Coronation Pickles
“We make a high quality local product,” assures John Tartaglia, who heads his factory in Sainte-Sophie in the Laurentians.
The 50-year-old Italian and Quebecer left BMO along with his colleague Daniel Jurkovic, a 39-year-old Serbian, to enter the pickle business three years ago.
Putter's was founded in 1948 and was run by the Goodz family, whose third generation still helps the two friends forge their path.
The rise of new entrants in the world of agri-food accelerated in late October when Aliments Whyte's, the largest supplier of pickles in Canada, went bankrupt.
10 million dollars
The amount paid by John and Daniel for the Whyte's factory in Montérégie.
John and Daniel then paid $10 million for the Whyte's factory in Montérégie, as well as all the processing cucumbers from the 12 producers they produce in Quebec.
“We are super happy,” says Pascal Forest, CEO of Transformation Fruit Producers of Quebec.
Photo by Pascal Forest, provided by PLTQ
The economic health of these 12 farmers had become fragile because “Whyte's Foods was a little distant from the local farmers.”
“Best cucumbers in the world”
Putter's has always produced for others – particularly customers in the United States – and has also supplied pickles to legendary restaurants such as Schwartz's Deli in Montreal.
His pots are not sold everywhere, Quebec residents know little about them. Bankers say this will soon be a thing of the past.
“In 2024 we will be on all the shelves of IGAs and Metros,” assure John and Daniel.
Their product ferments in water and salt without preservatives, their pickles have “nothing to do” with those that come from India and can be found everywhere.
“We want to create a place for ourselves so that Quebecers know us,” dreams Daniel.
Farmers are dreaming too, now that Putter's is buying all their cucumbers.
“With 12 producers we are at a minimum. “That might make other people want to try cucumbers,” says Pascal Forest happily.
Can you share information about this story?
Write to us or call us directly at 1 800-63SCOOP.