Local food supplier experiencing significant growth

Posted Jan 26, 2012 By Richard Turtle

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EMC Business -Stirling - While many industries around the world are suffering through times of economic hardship, Stirlingbased Bioessential Botanicals is continuing to experience steady and consistent growth.

In fact, says company president Dennis Barker, things have been so good in recent years an expansion of their existing facility on West Front Street became a necessity. Calling it "the oldest germination company in Canada," Barker says his company has become a model for others around the world. "And that's not a bad thing," he says. "It gets the message out."

And that message, he says, is that when it comes to nutrition, less can be more. Bioessential products, offering a range of food additives and ingredients, includes their bioLIVE line of organic, gluten-free, germinated seed products available to the retail market. And packaging labels are dead simple, devoid of polysyllabic additives to extend shelf lives or improve aesthetics.

In operation in Stirling since 2007, Bioessential got its start 30 years ago in the green sprout business. The company's emphasis shifted to germinated seeds about 13 years ago, Barker says, making germination, organics and gluten-free products a mainstay. While offering some products to the retail market, "our primary focus is as an ingredient supplier," Barker explains, "and we're expanding our product lines to include gluten-free foods." But additives, he says, are entirely unnecessary.

Through the process of seed germination, he says, the vitamins, minerals and enzymes can be maximized while reducing the anti-nutrients found in non-germinated seeds. After germination, "we push the stop button," Barker explains, before products are dehydrated and packaged. The result, he adds, is a "survival food" offering all the nutritional value possible with a shelf life that spans years rather than weeks or months.

And with increasing awareness of food additives and the low nutritional value of ready-to-eat fast foods, "there's lots of room in the marketplace (for alternatives)," he says. "There are lots of opportunities in the food industry."

And Canada, he adds, is a world leader. "No place has cheaper food than we do," Barker says. But that doesn't always translate to healthy choices. With growing time constraints, many families opt for less nutritional options but Barker questions the logic.

With the potential to prepare entire meals simply and in less than 30 minutes using Bioessential products, Barker says he would challenge anyone to compare the costs of a fast food meal with those of a homemade healthy alternative. Admittedly, he says, there is the price of gas, the time spent travelling to and from a restaurant and the cost at the take-out window, but there are also hidden health costs that can be far more significant.

"We know some of this stuff is bad for us," Barker says, "but convenience is a big thing. You need to change habits."

And that, he notes, is definitely happening.

With markets now in Canada, the United States, Asia and South America, Barker admits food quality is a global concern. In order to remain in the forefront, he says, the food industry needs to be more creative in its approach. In that vein, Bioessential Botanicals is currently working with a snack food company to create healthy products to compete in that market as well.

The addition currently under construction in Stirling will provide more warehouse space "and a little more room to manoeuvre," he says. As well, he adds, the need for growth speaks to the increasing consumer interest in maintaining better health through the food we eat.







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