Local food system fragility exposed as Spud payment delays squeeze small producers
A sausage maker's experience with unpaid invoices from Spud and Blush Lane reveals how dependent small producers are on a handful of retailers. Advocates are pushing for public grocery alternatives.
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When Ezequiel Alberti's sausage company stopped receiving payment from Spud and Blush Lane last winter, he faced a troubling reality: small food producers have almost nowhere else to turn.
Alberti, who moved to Calgary from Buenos Aires in 2015, launched Odd Sausage five years ago and had supplied both Spud and its retail outlet Blush Lane with free-range chorizo since late 2023. After fulfilling October and November orders, he waited for payment within the contracted 15-day window. When invoices went unpaid and his emails to accounting went unanswered, he learned why: Spud had filed for creditor protection three years earlier, leaving more than 1,000 vendors in the lurch. Third Eye Capital, a private equity firm, eventually took ownership and relaunched Spud in spring 2023.
Alberti finally received payment in May but ended his relationship with the chain, deeming the risk too high. His story reveals a structural problem: dependent on a handful of retailers, the local food system is fragile.
"If small producers disappear, communities lose local food resilience," Alberti said. "And the market becomes dominated by large industrial suppliers."
The issue echoes a recent policy brief from Food Secure Canada, which supports the idea of publicly owned and operated grocery stores—a concept floated by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NDP Leader Avi Lewis. Proponents argue public grocers could offer significantly lower prices and provide stability for local producers who no longer rely on profit-driven retailers.
Third Eye Capital's representative told The Tyee that local and regional suppliers remain important partners. "We understand that payment timing can carry particular weight for smaller vendors, and the company is committed to building constructive, sustainable supplier relationships."
The facts
When did Odd Sausage start supplying Spud and Blush Lane?
Odd Sausage, based in Calgary, began supplying Spud and Blush Lane with free-range chorizo in late 2023.
When did Ezequiel Alberti finally receive payment from Spud?
Ezequiel Alberti received payment from Spud in May 2026, after his invoices for October and November orders went unpaid through the winter.
When did Third Eye Capital relaunch Spud?
Third Eye Capital, a private equity firm that took ownership of Spud, relaunched the chain in spring 2023.
