Three Farmers
Founders and Executive Team
Natasha Vandenhurk
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Director and Founder
Natasha Vandenhurk is CEO and one of the initial founders at Three Farmers Foods. She studied Economics at the University of Saskatchewan before partnering with three farmers from Southeast Saskatchewan to realize a dream of taking healthy wholesome foods to the marketplace.
Being CEO of a growing, natural foods brand has set Natasha on a journey of continuous learning and leadership. Her passion, dedication and tenacity has grown Three Farmers Foods from a young start up to a thriving international brand. As Three Farmers Foods continues to evolve into an established Consumer Packaged Goods brand, Natasha is adamant about building high performing teams throughout the organization that are dedicated to excellence, accountability and continual learning in this dynamically changing industry.
Elysia Vandenhurk
Chief Brand & Innovation Officer (CBIO), Director and Founder
Elysia Vandenhurk is Chief Brand & Innovation Officer and one of the initial founders of Three Farmers Foods. Elysia is a Red Seal Chef and has practiced with many well accomplished chefs, including globally renowned Chef Susur Lee. Elysia’s passion for the culinary arts and palate for great tasting foods has been integral to the development of the Three Farmers Foods product lines. Her creativity and vision have been the driving force behind the launch of Three Farmers Foods snack lines. Her ability to connect with customers is an integral piece of Three Farmers success in garnering distribution of their brand across Canada. As Three Farmers Foods evolves, Elysia’s motivation to understand the consumer and make products that fit their dynamic lifestyles will continue to be a key to success.
Lisa Maclean
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Lisa MacLean, FCCA is a results-driven, growth-focused finance leader with extensive experience working with entrepreneurs and providing strategic and operational oversight across industries such as CPG, manufacturing, financial services, and e-commerce. Specializing in M&A, rapid growth, and business transformation, Lisa has a strong track record of driving profitability and long-term success. She has played a key role in financial planning, treasury management, internal controls, and ERP implementations, while overseeing cross-functional teams in finance, IT, HR, procurement, and customer services. As a trusted advisor to boards and executives, Lisa is known for helping businesses scale while ensuring robust governance and compliance. In addition to her professional achievements, Lisa is a busy mum who prioritizes health, wellbeing, and balance, integrating these values into both her personal and professional life.
Board of Directors
Tyler Bradley
Director & Investor Representative, Golden Opportunities Fund
Tyler Bradley holds the office of Vice-President with Westcap Mgt. Ltd., a Western Canadian-based fund manager that has completed over $1 billion in transactions. Mr. Bradley has nearly twenty years of experience in the venture capital and private equity industry. His experience spans capital raising, transaction origination, investment management, and M&A within venture/private equity backed companies. Prior to joining Westcap in 2007, Mr. Bradley managed a venture investment portfolio for a seed-stage fund focused in the value-added agri-food sector. Between 2001 and 2005, Mr. Bradley worked in operations and corporate finance roles with venture-backed organizations in the agri-food sector. Mr. Bradley received his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan. Mr. Bradley serves as a director of a number of private Canadian companies involved in the agriculture, information technology, and energy sectors.
Pete Cobban
Vice President at District Ventures Capital
Pete Cobban is a Vice President at District Ventures Capital, a venture capital fund investing in innovative companies in the food, beverage, personal care & wellness sectors across North America. Pete is responsible for the origination, execution and management of early-stage investments in consumer brands in addition to running ad hoc strategic initiatives and supporting Fund operations.
Prior to joining District Ventures Capital in 2018, Pete worked in the Corporate Development group of a leading Canadian healthcare company primarily focused on driving acquisitive growth. Pete has also worked with PwC’s Corporate Advisory and Restructuring group, developing tactical solutions for lenders, companies facing underperformance and other stakeholders. He began his career in public accounting at PwC, qualifying as a CPA, CA in 2014. Pete holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration (Co‐op Option) degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Laurie Dmytryshyn
Chief of Equity Investment, PIC Investment Group Inc.
Laurie Dmytryshyn is the Chief of Equity Investment for PIC Investment Group Inc. (PIC). PIC is a private, family office based in Saskatoon. PIC is a majority owner of eight companies in a variety of industries across Canada, along with minority equity investments in 23 companies. Laurie manages PIC’s Minority Equity Investment Portfolio.
Prior to her ten years experience at PIC, Laurie was the Executive Director of the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan. She has extensive Board experience in both the for-profit and non-profit sector and holds Board positions on several of PIC’s minority investment companies. Laurie received a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA from the University of Saskatchewan. She has her ICD.D Designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Angela Santiago
Director (Independent)
Angela Santiago co-founded The Little Potato Company Ltd. with her father, Jacob Vander Schaaf, 25 years ago in a one-acre plot outside Edmonton, AB where the little spuds were grown and manually processed/packed for delivery to local markets. Today the “little” company grows 14,000 acres in 7 states and provinces; and processes and packages in three state-of-the-art facilities. The products are now available in-store listings across Canada and in all 50 states in the US. Angela and her team continually strive to find more efficient and sustainable ways to grow and package their potatoes and offer unique and proprietary varieties of Creamers in an array of colors, flavors, and shapes to delight and nourish potato lovers. Angela currently serves on a number of Boards and Committees including; Food Processors Affiliation Canada, Inc. (FPAC); Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) Leadership Committee; Produce Marketing Association Board (PMA); and the Greater Madison Area Chamber of Commerce Board. Angela has received considerable recognition for her business and entrepreneurial successes over the years and was recently honored with two awards: Progressive Grocer’s 2021 Top Women in Grocery Award; and Grocery Business’ 2021 Top 10 Produce Women in Canada.
Brian Arbique
Director (Independent)
Brian Arbique is a former executive with Kraft//Heinz, a top tier multinational consumer packaged goods company in both the consumer and foodservice sectors. He gained extensive experience in general management, sales, marketing, and supply chain in both the retail and foodservice sectors. He has a proven track record in strategic planning, business restructuring, process development and leadership of multi-functional teams through periods of major transformational change.
Brian now acts as a consultant and focuses on providing advisory, project and/or hands-on management assistance for small to mid-sized CPG organizations in the areas of strategic planning, portfolio optimization, go-to-market design and capability, customer strategy/segmentation, commercial structure, KPI/incentive management, effective communication, and targeted cost management.
Brian is a former Chair of the Foodservice Council, FCPC, and was a member of several advisory boards including Foodservice Advisory Board, GSI Canada and the Industry affairs Council, FCPC, prior to becoming an independent consultant.