What happens when a social media influencer declares that the best Putin in Mauricie is at Les Couleurs de la Terre farm?
Well, what happened happens: overnight, in addition to the effect of traditional media coverage, there is a rush on the Grande-Rivière Nord Road in Yamachiche, where the family farm Fradette, specializing in growing potatoes, is located.
Then of course there are adjustments in the making of Fradette!
Michel Bellemare / QMI AGENCY
“Our business has been stable for a few years; We served our Putin to around 200 customers a day,” said Patricia Claveau, co-owner of the farm with her husband Guy Fradette. In the summer of 2022 we served 2,500 customers a day!”
On June 24, 2022, after a search lasting several days, influencer Niko Atsaidis declared that the best Putin and fries he had eaten in his life could be found at Les Couleurs de la terre farm.
“We didn’t know him, he came to us like any other customer,” recalls Ms. Claveau. After his visit he didn’t tell us anything, not even sent a message. It was customers who showed us the video the next day.”
Granted, the Quebec Tiktokeur served as a spark plug, but according to Patricia Claveau, it was the local and national media that started the Yamachiche frenzy, inspiring people in Montreal, Laval, Fermont, Toronto and even Philadelphia to travel to Mauricie.
Michel Bellemare / QMI AGENCY
“A week after the TikTok wave, I published a post on our Facebook page to tell the adventure that is lived on the farm. This publication got us reports in the local media and then the national media came. They all came: TVA, Salut Bonjour, Le Journal de Montréal, Narcity, Urbania.”
“Without taking away from the impact of influencers, it’s largely because of this intense media attention that we’ve seen this onslaught last summer,” she says.
After such success, the Fradette family farm is all set to welcome the people of 2023.
Photo courtesy of Patricia Claveau
“We remodeled the kitchen and added appliances,” Ms. Claveau mentioned. Our team of employees has grown from three to seven people; Tables have been added and our supply is secured. In 2023 we expect to find a good middle ground between the 15,000 customers who were received at the farm in 2021 and the 70,000 people who came to us in 2022.
The Colors of the Earth farm is open from mid-May to late October.