By Lilian Schaer for AgInnovation Ontario
Source: AgInnovationontario
When the going gets tough, the tough get going, or so the saying goes.
And that’s precisely the situation Ontario grain farmer Jason Persall found himself in more than a decade ago – crop prices were low, leading him to look for a way to add value to his family’s Norfolk County farming business.
Today, the Pristine Gourmet brand is popular with chefs and consumers alike across North America and is known for its premium cold-pressed virgin soybean, canola and sunflower oils that rival olive oil in quality.
Three years ago, Pristine Gourmet was presented with an opportunity to expand into the U.S. market. In order to meet the increased demand for product, the company was able to access support from Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative, for new oil production technology.
Their product line also includes Canadian-grown edamame, chick peas, legumes and pulses for food service, retail and online markets in Canada and the United States.
“I had no idea that this would be the outcome when I was first looking for a way to add value to our grains and oilseed crops,” says Persall, a fourth generation farmer who also happens to come from an entrepreneurial family.
Pristine Gourmet is a family farm-focused brand, he explains, one built on stewardship and caring for the land. Preventing wind and water erosion, and providing habitat for bees, birds and wildlife are all important aspects of the Persall farm.
“Consumers have a growing desire to reconnect with their farming heritage, which includes knowing where their food comes from and experiencing something right from the farm”, he says.
Persall got his start cold-calling influential chefs in Toronto hoping to get them interested in his cold-pressed virgin oil products. It was a nerve-wracking experience for him, but one that ultimately paid off.
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