Scotian Gold

Taking a bite out of the agrifoods industry 

Scotian Gold is founded on the belief that there is strength in numbers.

The Coldbrook, Nova Scotia company is a grower-owned tree fruit cooperative specializing in apples. Its roots go back to 1912, when a small group of fruit growers banded together under the name United Fruit Companies of Nova Scotia to market their produce, knowing they’d have more success as a group than as individual sellers.

Rebranded as Scotian Gold in 1957, the company stores, packs and markets over 60% of the apples produced in Atlantic Canada. It’s the largest apple packing and storage operation in Eastern Canada, with fruit arriving from more than 50 family-operated apple orchards across the province. The business also includes country stores, a fertilizer plant, a feed mill, and a pet and horse store.

When asked to reflect on the growth of the company, CEO David Parrish said he believes one of its key strengths is the ability to play the long game, which goes hand-in-hand with working in a co-op.

“It certainly helps with our planning and execution to know that we’re committed to this business for the long term,“ he said. “It gives you a more balanced approach.”

The CEO noted that the strength of the relationships the company has formed with growers and its more than 100 employees have been key in weathering the ups and downs that occur with any business dependent on unpredictable variables. These include weather events, large competing crops in other apple growing areas in North America, and fluctuating labour challenges.

One of the ways Mr. Parrish said his company has been able to stay on an upward trajectory is by continuing to automate. Investments in sorting and storage equipment has led to increased efficiency, improved apple quality, and the ability to pack larger volumes, allowing Scotian Gold to reach new markets.

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) has played an integral role in the growth of Scotian Gold, contributing funding and advice, while Mr. Parrish pursues opportunities that will help the company continue to expand. For example, in 2023 ACOA assisted with the purchase of an automated apple pre-sorting processing line to help Scotian Gold meet an estimated 40% increase in demand for its product in the United for the following 4 years.

“ACOA, over the years, has been a huge part of our innovation and automation. With the challenging landscape in the past couple of years, the (support) has been a benefit and has made projects more palatable than if we had implemented them ourselves.”

Mr. Parrish, who has been with Scotian Gold for 35 years, said while he does not know what the future holds, he remains committed to taking whatever steps are necessary to stay competitive.

“There’s a sense of family in the company and pride in growing a product in a community that’s also for the community. That carries over to how we do business and the pride of serving people to the best of our ability.”