SWT (South West Terminal) a farmer-owned grain company is expanding into value-added food processing with plans to establish a commercial pasta production facility in Swift Current.
SWT and its subsidiary, Solo Italia Fine Pasta, have received approximately $1.5 million through Prairies Economic Development Canada.
The funding announced last Friday is part of more than $11.2 million in federal support for Saskatchewan businesses through the Business Scale-up and Productivity Program and the Regional Tariff Response Initiative.
(The following story was written by Glenda Lee Vossler with SwiftCurrentOnline).
Expansion follows SWT acquisition of Solo Italia
Robert Chapman, Vice-President of Business Development for SWT and General Manager of Solo Italia Fine Pasta, said the company is relocating and expanding the pasta portion of the business while maintaining the well-known wood-fired pizza operation in Ogema.
“We won’t be changing what we’re doing in Ogema,” Chapman explained. “There still will be that wonderful wood-fired pizza. We’re just expanding because we’ll have an opportunity to produce more product as we grow the pasta business into a second facility.”
The new operation will be located in the former BlackBridge building on the south side of Swift Current.
Focus on fresh frozen pasta
Unlike many large pasta manufacturers focused on dried products, Solo Italia’s expansion centers on fresh pasta that is flash-frozen shortly after production.
Chapman said the company believes the product offers consumers a distinctly Canadian and Saskatchewan-made option.
“It’s fresh pasta that’s pressed,” Chapman said. “The key ingredient is the durum semolina that’s derived from durum grown in southwestern Saskatchewan.”
The company already sells products through several Saskatchewan retailers in Regina and Saskatoon, including Sobeys and Safeway, and is branching out to Moose Jaw, Estevan and Weyburn, with products also available at Pioneer Co-op, Flatland Foods and Country Club Distributors in Swift Current.
Federal support speeds growth plans
The total project is expected to cost approximately $5 million.
Chapman said federal support through Prairies Can is helping the company move ahead at a faster pace than it would otherwise.
Investments include facility renovations, the addition of commercial-grade processing equipment, packaging systems, quality-control technology and cold storage infrastructure.
Production targeted for spring 2027
Site preparation work is already underway at the Swift Current location.
One of the first priorities will be construction of expanded freezer capacity, an essential component in handling frozen pasta products.
The company hopes to be producing pasta out of the Swift Current location by the end of May 2027.
Chapman described the timeline as ambitious, but achievable.
Solo Italia Fine Pasta growth plans
Solo Italia currently employs 12 people in Ogema, with additional staffing anticipated as the Swift Current facility ramps up production.
The company is also pursuing CFIA certification, which would allow products manufactured in Swift Current to be sold across provincial boundaries.
“Our commitment is that it’s a homegrown product,” Chapman said. “Solo Italia is owned by a farmer-owned company, and it’s serviced by Western Canadian durum located right in southwestern Saskatchewan.”
