Growing for the People Nearby: Meet Mandair Farms

When you are choosing food for your family, a place name can be a useful beginning. Hearing from the person who grows it gives that place a human voice.

Mandair Farms is a family farm in Abbotsford, British Columbia. In an interview from Origo’s archive, Sajan Mandair talks about the local community and the relationship he built with Origo founder Stone.

A connection that began at farmers markets

In the recorded conversation, Sajan recalls meeting Stone at farmers markets. He describes Stone as a friend and partner, and talks about working together to bring locally grown food and the products made from it to people nearby.

This conversation is one part of Origo’s history. For the source of a particular fruit today, use its current product information.

“Building these types of relationships is what I do this for.”Sajan Mandair, Origo interview archive

Watch the conversation

Origo × Mandair Farms, archive interview. English captions are available. Earlier packaging appears in the footage. The excerpt retains the original picture and sound.

Read the interview excerpt

Building these types of relationships is what I do this for. My name is Sajan Mandair. I’m from Mandair Farms. We’ve been farming here since 2005. Our relationship with Origo has been really good for the last couple of years. We met Stone a couple of years ago at the farmers markets, and he’s been a friend, partner, and we’re excited to grow this relationship and work as a team in our local community and supply the local foods that we grow and the local products that we make from that food that we grow, and bring it to our local people and provide that to our community.

A Canadian story with a name behind it

For a parent, it is reasonable to want a clear answer to where a fruit was grown. Origo’s broader sourcing story includes BC-grown strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and apples, together with haskap from Quebec. Naming the province keeps the Canadian story specific.

A grower conversation adds a different kind of understanding. It lets you hear what matters to someone involved in the work. Here, Sajan speaks about relationships and the people nearby. Those details connect Canadian origin to the work of a particular farm, and to a person who can explain why that work matters to him.

Knowing more, choosing for yourself

You do not need to visit every farm to make a thoughtful family choice. The people behind a product can make their part easier to see: the fruit, the place, the process and the conversations that shaped it.

Sharing this interview is one way for Origo to do that. The choice of what belongs in your family’s day remains yours.

Read why Origo chose Canadian fruit →

Farm name, location and name spelling checked against Mandair Farms’ own story. Interview statements are presented in their original historical context.