Kroeker Farms cut the ribbon on its new, larger The Potato Store location Friday morning in Winkler.
Located at 715 Circle K Dr., a stone’s throw from its former spot across the road, the new facility is four times the size of the old storefront.
“We were outgrowing our space. We had a lot more products that we wanted to offer and we just didn’t have anywhere to put them,” said store manager Liana Fehr. “This building was just the perfect space for us.”
The building was formerly home to Faith Mission and did require a fair bit of renovations to make it work as The Potato Store’s new home.
“We wanted to keep the farm feel, but with a modern twist,” Fehr said, noting they offer a wide variety of locally grown produce, including Kroeker’s own premium potatoes and organic onions, and many other grocery products.
“We have so much more than potatoes,” she said. “Our focus has always been local, fresh foods, healthy foods, and also catering towards those with allergies. We have a lot of gluten-free stuff.
“We try to support other local vendors, farmers, artisans, and so we like to offer all of that to the community.”
The additional space has allowed them to add a small gift shop featuring a wide array of locally-made speciality items.
“We wanted to have a place where you can buy a gift or a gift basket and find unique items,” Fehr said.
Kroeker’s president and CEO Wayne Rempel noted the new location is perfect, nestled as it is amongst the company’s other buildings in the area, including its head office and processing facility.
It’s also near the Discovery Nature Sanctuary, a project the company has been a strong supporter of.
“I just love the idea of people being able to stop here, get some produce, hopefully have a cup of coffee and a pastry in the future, go for a walk, enjoy the nature centre,” Rempel said, noting they’re working on getting a bakery up and running in the store soon.
Mayor Henry Siemens brought greetings on behalf of the City of Winkler at the ribbon cutting festivities.
“We are so excited to see what Kroeker Farms is doing in our community,” he said, pointing to the company’s other recent expansions and the fact it continues to be at the forefront of organic potato farming while also “investing into a store like this in our community that allows local products to be sold.
“It’s obvious when we see the investment in our community, this is what helps grow Winkler. This is what makes Winkler different from other areas: that we have businesses from our community that invest deeply in our community.”
Photos by Ashleigh Viveiros/Voice
Mayor Henry Siemens (second from left) helps Kroeker Farms’ (from left) CEO Wayne Rempel, The Potato Store manager Liana Fehr, and CFO Tyson Kamminga cut the ribbon on the store’s new location at 715 Circle K Drive.
