Our Story
Fruitful Beginnings
Prairie Berries was founded in 1993 with a simple but ambitious goal: to introduce the delicious and nutrient-rich saskatoon berry to the world.
Saskatoon berries, long used by Indigenous peoples, are now a nutritional powerhouse thanks to Prairie Berries Inc. Founded by Ken and Sandra Purdy in the 1990s, the company specializes in fresh-frozen berries, dried fruit, purees, powders, and more. With support from government grants and partnerships, including Arlene Dickinson from Dragon’s Den, they’ve expanded their market reach and raised awareness of Saskatoons’ health benefits.
Packed with antioxidants, fiber, and essential vitamins, Saskatoon berries are a true superfruit—and Prairie Berries is leading the way in building a sustainable, locally grown industry.
“Eat Saskatoons—they’re good for you!”




At more than 160 acres, Prairie Berries has invested in the world’s largest and most sustainable saskatoon berry orchard.
In 1997, Ken and I made a bold decision to change our careers—Ken from traditional farming and I from SaskTel—to create a company that would make a difference. We wanted to contribute to social responsibility, promote diversity, and provide meaningful employment. At the same time, we sought an environmentally sustainable crop that could thrive with fewer resources—Saskatoon berries became our solution.
This native fruit, rich in antioxidants and nutritional benefits, offered both an environmentally sustainable crop and a reliable food source. We poured our hearts into growing the business, committed to creating a workplace where people felt valued and respected. Over two decades, we invested over $2 million into the company before selling it to Hans in 2016. Despite challenges and setbacks, we never lost sight of our mission: opportunity, sustainability, and community.
Saskatoon berries, Canada’s "newest superfruit," are packed with health benefits, yet remain largely unknown. Once cherished by First Nations peoples, they offer a gold mine of nutrition right here in our backyard. Our company was built on the belief that food, sustainability, and people matter—and we’re proud to have contributed to both the land and the people who made it all possible.

“Within our primary handling plant, we take pride in our ability to grade, clean, freeze, and package our saskatoon berries, taking every necessary measure to ensure consistency and food safety.”
– Prairie Berries Founder, Sandy Purdy
Investment & Growth
Prairie Berries’ primary handling plant is the largest and most up-to-date saskatoon berry handling facility in Canada. Technology such as colour optical sorter, IQF tunnels, and large cooling capacity ensure quality specifications are maintained throughout the handling process.
The Prairie Berries establishment is inspected and registered under the authority of the Canada Agricultural Products Act, the Processed Products Regulations and the Processed Fruit and Vegetable Establishment. Our certificate of registration is #304. We operate a HACCP system audited by SAI Global. Our Food Safety systems ensure the highest standards of safe food handling for the purpose of meeting consumer expectations for safe food. Every product we produce in the facility can be traced back to where and when it was grown, offering complete traceability.
Within our primary handling plant, we take pride in our ability to grade, clean, freeze, and package our saskatoon berries, taking every necessary measure to ensure consistency and food safety. While in our secondary processing facility, we create yummy saskatoon-berry gourmet food and ingredients such as purees, pie fillings, concentrates, mineral powders, and even retail products that our health-conscious customers love.
Sustainability
Respect the land that grows our berries
At Prairie Berries, our top priority is to respect the land that grows our berries. We aim to limit the impact of our operations on the environment, and while there’s always room for improvement, we’re proud to have implemented practices that allow us to reduce our carbon footprint while keeping our consumers safe.
To explore what we’ve done, and what we hope to do going forward, check out our blog post:
Staying Sustainable at Prairie Berries