Essex County farmers and food processors are reaping the benefits of the ongoing condiment firestorm sparked last month when food giant French's entered the ketchup market.
Canadian consumers spoke with their loonies by supporting the new ketchup brand because the American company sources tomatoes grown in Leamington, Ont.
That patriotic response then nudged Canadian-owned Primo Foods to finally dive headfirst into the market with its own product just last week.
With more companies, big and small, salivating to get their hands on tomatoes grown in agriculturally rich southwestern Ontario, farmers in the region are approaching production levels not seen since Heinz uprooted its Leamington processing plant and moved to the U.S.
When Heinz left in 2014, Leamington farmer Dave Epp had to increase production of beans, peas and sweet corn to make a living. But his family is back in the tomato business after signing contracts with two local processors this past year.
"It means the tomato industry is viable again from a farm perspective," he said of the increasing demand for Canadian tomatoes.
