A local snack food producer has jumped on an opportunity to crack open some new markets in Canada.

Ron Giesbrecht, owner of Ronnie's Jumbo Seeds near Plum Coulee, says a shift in consumer demand has forced some of the larger grocery chains in western Canada to allow locally grown products onto their store shelves.

He said that's working to his advantage and has allowed him to sell his confectionary sunflower seeds in stores like Safeway and Sobeys.

"Consumers have concerns about products when it comes to food safety and the insecurity of not knowing where your food is coming from which has resulted in more pressure being put on grocery stores to buy local product," said Giesbrecht. 

For the past few decades grocery chains have sourced their products from larger food producing companies because its more efficient and less time consuming to deal with just a few large companies instead of a lot of independent businesses. But that appears to be changing and grocery chains are now dealing with some of the smaller guys to get local food products on their shelves.

He said a major grocery chain announced earlier this year that it was going to put in a local food section in their stores, giving staff at those stores the decision making authority to scan these local products into their system on their own.

"That's a huge shift for us since we are a direct to store operator and considered a local producer. We can now go and fill those shelves with local product. That hasn't happened since I started this business.

As a result, Ronnie's Jumbo Seeds snack foods are finding their way into larger grocery stores in western Canada, selling as far west as Vancouver Island.

Giesbrecht says his operation is prepared to ramp up in anticipation of increased demand.

"We've been waiting a long time for this opportunity and it feels good to finally see some of those doors opening up, and we're ready to capitalize on it."