By Susan M. Boyce
There's nothing like a ripe, juicy, red tomato to get your taste buds tingling. And for Eric Schlacht, growing sustainable tomatoes is the foundation of a thriving family business that employs up to 100 people and ships product across North America.
Purchasing the 75-acre Delta View Farms in Ladner was a perfect fit with Schlacht’s business plan and expertise.
“My father ran a large hothouse operation in the Fraser Valley for 30 years, so I grew up around the greenhouse industry,” Schlacht said. “So from an early age I spent my summers working and continued on while I attained a degree in horticulture in Langley. Later I moved to Kelowna to get a business degree, and then spent several years working with Farm Credit Canada, the country’s largest agricultural lender.”
When longtime greenhouse owners in Delta retired in 2009, Schlacht was ready to take the leap. He hired accounting firm PwC through its Fraser Valley office in Surrey to perform an appraisal of the existing business, help him develop his own long-term business plan, and then assist with negotiating the required loan from the bank.
“It was an ideal opportunity,” he said. “Eighteen acres were already under glass, but we have over 55 acres for expansion. In five years, I’m hoping to double in size. The location is ideal – close to the water and great light levels.”
The purchase process was complex – almost 18 months would pass before the final papers were signed – especially since Schlacht and the former owners were both intent on retaining as many of the existing employees as possible.
“Some of these people have worked at Delta View for over 20 years,” Schlacht said, pride in his staff evident in his voice.
Today, under Schlacht’s leadership, Delta View Farms is evolving into a model of vision and sustainable hothouse farming practices. A computerized drip irrigation system controls water to each individual plant and recycles every drop that’s not used, creating a zero-waste environment. State-of-the-art pack house equipment and a new cooling system have increased efficiency, and plans are underway for the first phase of expansion.
The farm operates year-round, producing vine-ripened beefsteak, Roma and cherry tomatoes that it sells through its marketing partner, Windset Farms. The company also continues its pioneering research to find new ways of strengthening rootstocks and finding natural methods of pest control – “good bugs eating bad bugs,” as Schlacht explains it.
“Even though we essentially purchased a turnkey operation, the market and technology are constantly changing,” Schlacht stressed. “That’s why having partners like PwC who continue to assist us with business analysis and Farm Credit who finance the operation is so important.”
At PwC we understand private businesses from small to large and are committed to helping owners and CEOs achieve their long-term personal and business goals. For more information contact Kevin Isomura, incorporated partner at our Fraser Valley office, Surrey, at 604-495-8966 or email [email protected], or visit http://www.pwc.com/ca/private-company.
