SASKATOON (Staff) – Frank Hulsebosch can’t tell the difference between a bottle of canola oil and a bottle of sunflower oil.
“It’s all been processed to a point that it all looks the same and smells the same.”
The food industry has gotten away from fresh products in exchange for products that will ship well and have a longer shelf life, he said.
Hulsebosch and his wife Julie are setting out to change that. The two Saskatchewan entrepreneurs have established Golbum Valley Oil Mill Ltd. in the Tisdale area.
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Part of the money for the project came from the federal department of Western Economic Diversification. Hulsebosch said the interest-free loan of $19,270 really helped, especially since it didn’t tie up any security.
The money helped finance a cold-press which extracts oil without the use of heat or solvents.
Natural product
Hulsebosch said the result is a fresher, unprocessed oil: “It still has the natural smell and flavor of it.”
The press will be able to process 100 tonnes of oil per year, which they hope to export to California and some of the mid-western states.
The mill will initially process only certified organic flax and canola, but if it’s successful they may expand into products like spicy oils.
“I don’t want to get too carried away right from the start,” said Hulsebosch. “I don’t want to stick my neck out.”
