Supply Chain
Growers International Organic Sales Inc is a subsidiary of N M Paterson, one of the largest Canadian organic trading and processing companies, marketing a range of raw materials which includes all grades of wheat, together with oats, flax, peas, beans, soya and lentils for the European market.
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The Farms
Most farms are family owned, and organic production is concentrated around Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. Wheat is spring sown in April and May for harvesting in September where it is stored on farm.
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Cleaning and Grading
Commodities are purchased from the farmers throughout the market year, and then transported by truck to elevators solely used for organic products, for cleaning, grading, and storage before dispatch.
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Loading
For Europe most grain is shipped via 20 fcl containers, the best method to handle the relatively small volumes and ensure the organic integrity is maintained. Containers have a cardboard bulkhead insert by the doors, and the grain is blown in by gravity through a loading pipe.
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Transit in Canada
The loaded containers are taken to the marshalling yards, such as this one in Regina, where the containers are double stacked onto rail bogeys, before beginning their three week trip to Montreal.
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Transit to UK
The containers arrive in Montreal before being marshalled by the shipping companies for loading onto 1300 teu vessels for their seven day passage to Liverpool
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On Arrival
Containers are offloaded and transported to a near by store where they are devanned and remain in stock until the customer requires the grains.
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4000 Tonnes +
For larger consignments of above 4000 tonnes the grain can be loaded at Thunder Bay before being shipped direct to Liverpool.