Farmer Cheated By Tomavo Takes Over Former Tomavo Location
MONCTON–A new produce purveyor and former Tomavo supplier has taken over Tomavo’s former Moncton home.
In a call with Huddle, Allan Hardy confirmed he has opened a produce shop at 1063 Mountain Road and is selling Maritime-grown fruits and vegetables at a similar price point to the now-closed Tomavo.
The Mountain Road perch was one of several locations rented by Tomavo across New Brunswick and Nova Scotia until the discount produce seller was ensnared in financial difficulties and filed for creditor protection.
Hardy, the owner of Hardy’s Produce in Grand-Barachois, alleged he was one of many Maritime farmers who sold Tomavo produce but was never paid. He said it was his business dealings with Tomavo that led him to eventually lease the 3,500-square-foot berth in one of Moncton’s major retail corridors.
“It’s a small world, how we ended up here. I was driving by one day and I saw the big sign out front was gone, so I suspected they’d closed,” he said.
Hardy said his son Jesse called asking about leasing the building. When Tomavo closed its Moncton location last December, the landlord called back, telling the Hardys that the property was available.
Hardy moved in on February 1, officially opening his produce shop on February 18. While there could be some hiring in the coming months, Hardy said the produce shop is entirely family-run at the moment.
“We’re going to grit our teeth and go it alone until we see where we’re at, because we have to keep our expenses down and see if there’s profit in this before we hire anybody,” he said.
“It’s exciting for us, and we’ve been kind of looking for a location for a while.”
Before Tomavo closed, Hardy noted he was eyeing a location just across the Isthmus of Chignecto in Amherst to open the produce shop.
“But [the Mountain Road location] just fell in our lap, so we grabbed it,” he said. He noted it’s a popular street, with proximity to Highway 15 and Mapleton Road, making it tricky to find a good location.
Hardy’s specializes in an assortment of produce it grows itself, along with fruit and vegetables grown by farmers across New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
RELATED: Tomavo Closes Final Stores As Creditor Protection Case Continues
The move to Moncton is Hardy’s first venture away from the 20 acres he grows on and the self-serve produce stand the farm operates on the side of the road.
“It’s not big and never intended to be big. If you’re growing hay and grain or corn, you need a lot of land. But for vegetables, it’s labour-intensive and small. We have a 1,000-foot row of assorted peppers under irrigation that produce continuously until the frost hits them,” he said.
Hardy said the farm, which has been in business for about 15 years, is known for growing tomatoes, an assortment of peppers, and potatoes.
“We also have summer staples, like beans peas, kohl crops, squash, and pumpkins,” he said.
Sam Macdonald is a Huddle reporter in Moncton. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].