Harvest Speciality Mills is currently in the building phase of an innovative grain cleaning, milling and packing facility in Halton Region’s Burlington with prime state-of-the-art technology.
The plant will offer grains, pulses and dried fruits to customers of all sizes, marketing the specialty grains via shopify, which will support wholesale and retail sales through an online ordering system.
Harvest Specialty Mills secured $2.6 million in funding to construct the 21,000 sq ft HACCP, Kosher, BRC certified food-grade facility, with equipment the first of its kind in Canada.
“Harvest Specialty Mills is strategically positioned to take advantage of the growing trend to mainstream highly nutritious ingredients by melding artisanal grains, pulses and dried fruits with modern sales techniques, utilizing Shopify infrastructure,” shares Jon Dwyer, CEO of Harvest Specialty Mills in their news release.
The new facility, matched with the innovative technology, will accept orders from varied customers, including bulk orders and national contracts from some of North America and Europe’s largest bakeries and food producers.
And, by no mistake, it seems as though the facility comes at the right time, and the right place.
The GTA, Burlington in particular, is a perfect fit – the infrastructure is there, and, just as important, it’s logistically convenient for the customers. Working with manufacturers all over Ontario, it’s a major plus being lakeside for exports to Hamilton, along with the proximity to the Guelph Rail Line and the QEW.
And the demand is also certainly there. The specialty grains market has been on the rise in particular since 2008-9. There has been an evident increase in demand for the nutrients, like omegas, that are found in ancient grains such as flax, chia and quinoa. You’ve likely noticed this increase in advertising label claims on many products, and the idea is to tap into this interest with reliable products: these grains, pulses and dried fruits are known for their healthy omegas, proteins and fibres.
The plans are to launch the facility in the second quarter of 2016. For the next 8-10 months, they will be in the building phase.
“The Canadian manufacturing industry is a cornerstone of our economy and poised for continued growth. Harvest Specialty Mills is positioned to provide premium products to a multitude of organizations from family businesses to large multinationals,” said Jeffrey Deacon, Chairman of Harvest Specialty Mills.
Ryan Peyman, CFO, adds: “The marketplace for healthy food alternatives is growing rapidly, and has shown it is the new norm for popular food products. We are excited at the prospect of providing our customers with high quality products in the most cost effective and environmentally safe manner possible.”
The cleaning, milling and packaging equipment comes from a Swiss-Based Company, Bühler Group, what Dwyer calls the “best in the world”, adding that the equipment is unique to Canada. With more expense, comes more durability and quality, resulting in more consistent products. Dwyer explains this adds security for their customers, demonstrating their commitment to the investment, knowing they will be doing this for quite some time.
Golden Horseshoe: quality grains coming to a computer near you!