Small Potatoes, Big Dreams

In a cramped bathroom at a construction site in northern Alberta, Jacob Vanderschaaf (’72) overheard a snippet of Frisian—two men discussing “small potatoes.” He says he felt an almost spiritual jolt: “Jake, that’s it. These are small potatoes,” he later recalled, as if God had planted the idea in his mind.

He walked past the two men and said, “Excuse me, growing small potatoes is a great idea—that’s the future.”

It was the unlikely germ of a business that would grow into The Little Potato Company.

A childhood built on potatoes

Vanderschaaf’s journey began in a tiny village in Friesland, the Netherlands, in the closing months of World War II. Born in 1944, he grew up in a family of eight children. His father tilled a few acres of land, growing kohlrabi and potatoes. His father also traded potatoes in the market, whispering to himself about quality as he inspected each bag. Vanderschaaf still recalls how he and his siblings would eat little potatoes straight from the field; they would get bellyaches afterward.

Food was never plentiful, but his family did not suffer outright hunger. “We grew up in poverty; there was no question about it. But there was no hunger—we had enough to eat every day. There is a big difference between poverty and hunger.”

Lessons from Suriname

At 19, he was drafted into the Dutch Army and sent to Suriname (then a Dutch colony) to help keep the peace. He carried a gun but never fired a shot. What he witnessed was striking: local children scavenging discarded food.

“While I was standing guard, I would see children sneak up to the barbed wire fence, and they would put their hands in the garbage cans to get food that we had thrown away,” he says.

Even then, he thought of the potato’s potential. He’d heard that the potato is among the most efficient food crops in the world— a crop uniquely suited to feeding people.

At Dordt, building a relationship with God

After immigrating to Canada, he ended up in Alberta. There, a chance meeting with a

Dordt student convinced him to enroll in the Northwest Iowa college many hours away. At age 22, without knowing much English, he majored in history and philosophy, and minored in economics and sociology.

“The philosophy gave me a sense of grounding, of seeing things from a Christian perspective,” he says. Over time, he began to understand faith not only as perspective but as relationship. “You can have perspective, but that doesn’t mean you have a relationship,” he says. Dordt helped him develop a way of thinking that aligned his work with a deep reliance on God, “and that has become a guiding thing in my life.”

A spark in Alberta

After college and a stint in federal ag policy in Ottawa, Vanderschaaf returned to construction work. In 1995, he overheard two men speaking Frisian about small potatoes—a moment that inspired him. He pitched the idea of growing small potatoes to his daughter Angela, who had just graduated in political science from the University of Alberta. Together they rented an acre of land, grew tiny potatoes, and launched The Little Potato Company.

Convenience, taste, and timing fueled The Little Potato Company’s success. The company has grown into a major player in North America’s produce market, with plants in Alberta, Wisconsin, and Prince Edward Island. To date, the company markets over $350 million worth of potatoes a year across Canada and parts of the United States.

From spuds to science

Vanderschaaf also cofounded Tuberosum Technologies, a potato-breeding company that is now led by his son Joel. Early on, most farmers used old potato varieties that didn’t produce many small potatoes. Through breeding, Jacob’s team increased yield dramatically—from about 9 small potatoes per plant to 48–52.

Tuberosum continues developing potatoes for specific uses: consistent size, easy digestion, delicious flavor, ease of use, and now even new food applications. The company uses traditional potato breeding, involving the natural cross-pollination of cells to produce a new potato plant.

At 80 years of age, Vanderschaaf continues to do research on how potatoes might be used to support biodegradable plastics, gluten-free flour, and even health products derived from potato starch.

What makes potatoes different?

Unlike starches in white rice or wheat, potato starch includes resistant starch—a form that resists digestion, acting like dietary fiber. According to Vanderschaaf’s research:

• Potatoes contain 10–20% resistant starch, higher than rice or wheat.
• When cooked and cooled (e.g., in potato salad), resistant starch increases significantly.
• Resistant starch supports gut health, insulin sensitivity, and satiety.

In short, he says, potatoes are a nutrient-dense, health-friendly alternative to refined carbohydrates. He adds that potatoes are becoming more known as a vegetable; they also are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.

Stewardship, gratitude, and faith

Vanderschaaf believes that stewardship includes everything from soil to science. “When God looked at all He made, He said it was very good (Genesis 1:31), and then He took a breather. So when He said it was good, that doesn’t mean that we have to be so destructive to the environment.”

Vanderschaaf's work with potatoes, flour, and organic farming all reflect his belief that innovation should be stewardly of God’s creation.

Looking back, he says that, at nearly every juncture, “we started with no money, just an idea.” But through it all, he’s learned the power of small beginnings—of tiny seeds planted in faith.

“It started with an idea,” he says with a smile, “and God made it grow.”