Bringing Alberta’s potato farming success to the small screen

sunny South News Photo Submitted. "BETCHA THE FARM": Coaldale’s Perry Farm is featured in a new, nationwide Lay’s TV commercial that hit the airwaves in July. The Southern Alberta potato farmer was chosen for the “Betcha the Farm” commercial - a playful new national campaign that spotlights Canadian farmers behind the potatoes that go into Lay’s potato chips. The commercial is running across Canada this summer and fall and is rolling out across broadcast, digital, out-of-home (OOH) media like billboards, and social media.

By Kristine Jean
Sunny South News

Coaldale’s Chris Perry and his family are bringing their passion and love of potato farming to the small screen. 

The Southern Alberta potato farmer – who owns and operates Perry Farm just east of Coaldale, was chosen to star in a Lay’s potato chip TV commercial that was filmed on the farm in June. The commercial hit the airwaves nationwide in mid-July, when Lay’s launched “Betcha the Farm” – a playful new, national campaign that spotlights Canadian farmers behind the potatoes that go into Lay’s potato chips.

“Being part of the Betcha the Farm campaign is both an honour and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our family,” said Perry. “As fourth-generation Alberta farmers, we’ve always taken great pride in our work, but seeing it recognized and celebrated on a national scale is incredibly humbling.”

 Since 1972, PepsiCo Canada has partnered with local farmers. Lay’s uses 800 million Canadian potatoes every year, from family farms across Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Alberta.  

Perry said the opportunity to star in the TV commercial came through their “longstanding relationship with PepsiCo Canada.”

“We’ve been growing potatoes for Lay’s for over 40 years, and the partnership has grown into something deeply collaborative. When Lay’s reached out with the idea of showcasing real Canadian farm families, we were all in,” he said. “This campaign shines a light on the hard work, tradition, and care that goes into every potato we grow and by extension, every bag of Lay’s chips enjoyed by Canadians.”   

The commercial, running across Canada this summer and fall, is rolling out across broadcast, digital, out-of-home (OOH) media like billboards, and on social media. The “Betcha the Farm” campaign incorporates Lay’s signature humour with deep-rooted pride and is told in the voices of the farmers themselves.

Perry said the commercial was filmed on their home farm “right in the heart of potato country”, over two days from June 9 -10. It was the first time the Perry Farm family had been involved in making a TV commercial, which he said was both surreal and exciting.  

“The crew came out to capture authentic moments from our daily routine, from checking soil and driving tractors to spending time as a family in the fields,” said Perry. “The goal was to show the real us and that made it a fun, natural experience. Our whole family was involved in the shoot, everyone pitched in just like we always do,” he added. “We didn’t have to act. We just had to be ourselves.” 

   He noted one of the best parts for them in filming the commercial, was seeing how much care the crew took in telling their story – with respect and warmth. 

“We’ll never forget the experience. We’re thrilled to have it captured forever,” said Perry.

He spoke about the importance of sharing where Lay’s potato chips come from with Canadians and why, and also shared some of the Perry Farm history. 

 “Canadians deserve to know where their food comes from … It’s important to recognize that Lay’s chips are made with 100 per cent Canadian potatoes, grown by families, in Canadian soil, with Canadian pride,” explained Perry. “Our farm has been in the family for four generations. Based in Coaldale, Alberta, we benefit from ideal growing conditions (like) fertile soil, long summer days and consistent irrigation. While we also grow mixed grains like hay, corn, and canola, potatoes are our specialty and our passion.” 

His successful farm operation in Southern Alberta has also demonstrated the family’s focused-driven work ethic and dedication to ensuring top quality product every season. That success includes the entire potato chip process – from field to bag.  

“The process begins in early spring with planting. We monitor the crop closely throughout the summer—watering, nurturing, and protecting it until harvest begins in August,” said Perry. “Using modern machinery, we harvest over several weeks. Some of those potatoes go from our field to a Lay’s bag in as little as 36 hours. Before shipping, we inspect, sort, and wash the potatoes, then they head to one of Lay’s Canadian manufacturing facilities for slicing, cooking, seasoning, and bagging.” 

Perry said one of their biggest accomplishments is maintaining a successful, sustainable farm for over four generations – something that doesn’t happen without adaptation, dedication, and a strong support system.

“Our partnership with PepsiCo has played a big role in helping us evolve with industry changes. From adopting precision farming to accessing R&D support,” he said, pointing out some challenges they’ve also faced over the years, including weather fluctuations, rising operational costs, and the evolving demands of agriculture. “But every challenge has taught us resilience. We’ve leaned into innovation, invested in our people, and never lost sight of our values – quality, family, and community.” 

The farm’s longstanding partnership with PepsiCo is about more than just business said Perry – it’s about storytelling and education – helping inform Canadians about the people, places and the care that goes into every potato chip. 

“Canadians get to see the real farms like ours, and understand how much goes into every bag,” said Perry. “The Betcha the Farm campaign shows that Lay’s chips aren’t just made in Canada, they’re made by Canadians, for Canadians. That kind of visibility helps consumers appreciate the work behind their favourite snack, while helping to build pride in Canadian agriculture.”