KANGIQLINIQ/RANKIN INLET
Desperate to resolve shipping issues, Kivalliq Arctic Foods has switched almost exclusively to Canadian North as its airline of choice for transporting its products.

Kivalliq Arctic Foods plant manager Todd Johnson says the company has switched to using Canadian North almost exclusively for transporting its products. He hopes the move will turn Kivalliq Arctic Foods' fortunes around after the company experienced a dip in sales because of shipping issues with previous airlines. - NNSL file photo

"We utilize Calm Air and First Air now only when we absolutely have to," said plant manager Todd Johnson,.

His company ran into problems last year after new arrangements with Calm Air changed shipping schedules and capacity.

"On numerous occasions, we've been informed that our goods can't be received because there's no room for them to be shipped," Johnson told Kivalliq News in November.

He said Kivalliq Arctic Foods products were often not being accepted and then faced excessive delays reaching customers when they were.

First Air used to handle most of the company's finished product being shipped east, but Calm Air took over First Air's freezer and began administering most of the cargo leaving Rankin Inlet.

According to Johnson, Calm Air had plugged-up most of its freezers and caused massive delays for the company when it was trying to ship through First Air.

"We've had consistent issues with getting product shipped ever since Calm Air signed all these deals and arrangements with First Air and Canadian North," he said at the time.

That situation resulted in a noticeable dip in sales for Kivalliq Arctic Foods.

With no solution in sight from Calm Air, KAF has now switched its business to Canadian North.

"We made (the situation) improve for us by going specifically with Canadian North," Johnson said on Jan. 20.

"With only counting on Canadian North to send our product, we've been able to improve our shipping out of the community by limiting it to their specific flight schedule. It doesn't mean that we're able to send as often, but it does mean that we're getting the product to the customers confidently."

Until Kivalliq Arctic Foods hears that Calm Air has improved its services, the company will be sticking exclusively with Canadian North "unless I absolutely have to transport with Calm Air and First Air," said Johnson.

In fairness to the airlines, he added, it's too soon to tell whether this switch will fix the company's sales slump. Johnson is hopeful, though, that using Canadian North is going to give the company and its customers confidence in transport again.

During the sales slump, the prospect of layoffs within the company loomed, but Johnson said that has been avoided.

"Fortunately we were able to come up with an internal plan here at the plant that allowed us to not have to do any layoffs," he said.