Tell us a little bit about yourself, your role in your business and about your company.
Natasha Vandenhurk is one of the initial founders at Three Farmers Foods and the CEO. She studied Economics at the University of Saskatchewan before partnering in 2009 with three farmers from Southeast Saskatchewan to realize a dream of taking healthy wholesome foods to the marketplace and making a connection between farmers and consumers.
Three Farmers believes that everyone should have wholesome food to eat, an understanding of where it comes from, and how it’s made. Our dedication to minimal processing lets the natural goodness of our products shine through. By providing delicious, nutrient-packed foods through innovative and responsible farming practices, we aspire to have a positive and meaningful impact on future farming generations to come.
Managed by sisters and part owners, Natasha and Elysia Vandenhurk, Three Farmers is a real deal family business. Growing up on the family farm with their father Dan nurtured the sisters’ organic passion and drive to create natural, healthy, and delicious food.
What is your company’s philosophy on Total Rewards?
Three Farmers understands that to fulfill its vision of building a healthier world through naturally nutritious foods and meaningful connections it requires energetic, innovative, all-grit, no-quit employees. Three Farmers believes that each employee is an asset. Therefore, Three Farmers maintains a comprehensive and competitive benefits program for its employees and their dependents to attract and retain motivated individuals that will carry out its vision.
Describe your culture. Why is your company a great place to work?
That same goal of creating connections lives and breathes in the team that strives for success inside Three Farmers. We are committed to building a company culture that values individual growth, openness, transparency, teamwork, diversity, and creative thought. Ultimately, we want to be a company that people want to work for.
What is something you are proud of about your company?
Since 2009, our dreams have not changed. We continue to be inspired to provide everyone with wholesome food to eat by providing transparency around who we are and what is in our snacks. We continue to innovate, educate and build connections between farmers and consumers.
Why does your benefits & pension plan matter? What’s the impact to your business?
Natasha is adamant about ensuring the company provides a competitive compensation package which includes benefits for employees as well as their families and helps them plan for their future through an employer matching pension plan.
Three Farmers provides a benefits program that:
- Recognizes that benefits are an important component of total compensation
- Helps the company compete successfully for human resources
- Provides a “safety net” of basic benefits protection against the financial impact of catastrophic life events
- Provides individual choice and flexibility in managing health and welfare benefits, and recognizes the diverse needs of the employee population
- Is communicated effectively to provide employees with a full understanding of the value of the benefits program
- Is dynamic, sustainable and changes as necessary to meet the needs of the workforce and the company.
What is your most creative/ unique reward or favourite workplace benefit?
Three Farmers allocates an annual amount to a health/wellness account in the employee’s name for the employee to use to offset health expenses not covered by the Group Benefits Plan or for costs associated with wellness activities. The vision is to promote healthy lifestyles by encouraging movement and provide tools and resources that will improve our employee’s overall wellness.
What advice would you have for other successful growing Saskatchewan companies in recruiting, rewarding, and retaining top talent?
The advice I would provide is simple; search for and hire individuals that believe in and can live and breathe your company values. Invest in and nurture those who are willing to contribute, improve and work towards the common goal and celebrate your milestones.