“My dad and uncle started together back in 1988,” says Pete Kandola. “It’s always been a family business.”
Today, that business is Kandola Farms Produce and the family that runs it is Pete, who also goes by Amarpreet, and his father Amarjit (with Pete in the photo). Like many of our members, they’re both sweetpotato growers and sweetpotato shippers.
Pete grew up working in the fields—from as early as nine or ten, he helped with irrigating, harvesting, and planting. His attention turned to sports and activities during high school, but then Pete went to college and came back with a BS in Business Marketing and a BA in Agriculture Business. With those qualifications, it’s no surprise that today he’s President of Kandola Farms, handling the packing and shipping side while Amarjit does field management. (They grow almonds and canning peaches too.)
Pete is also an executive board member and treasurer for California Sweetpotatoes. “I was wanting to be more involved in the sweetpotato community, so this is a way for me to grow within myself, learn more about the industry, and meet more growers as well.”
In addition to the great weather, Pete enjoys the small town living and wide open spaces of California’s Central Valley. “I love being able to live out on a ranch with quietness, privacy, and space.” A welcome interruption to the quite these days, however, is the latest member of the Kandola family—Pete’s and his wife Oyre’s seven-month old baby boy, Kason.
The best thing about the sweetpotato business? “Being able to feed the world a nutrient-rich vegetable,” says Pete. And with that, it’s no wonder we’re so proud to have his family as part of ours.
