SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. – The economic crisis has apparently not curbed American fondness for hot dogs and the Canadian-grown mustard that goes with them.
Walter Dyck, a mustard buyer with Wisconsin-based Olds Products, said sales have not been affected by the worldwide financial turndown.
“We’re moving out a lot of mustard,” he told growers at a Swift Current, Sask., field day. “We’re seeing perhaps a little bit of a change towards the private label brands.”
That has led to more demand.
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Olds is a recognized leader in store brand mustards and supplies all classes of users, including private label, food service, dollar stores, fast food and organic. It is the second largest user of Canadian mustard in the U.S.
This year, the company contracted 100 percent Andante variety for its yellow mustard and 100 percent brown Centennial.
Dyck said the company would look at other yellow varieties but only “in a pinch” because the Andante characteristics are superior.
Andante, the predominant variety in western Canada, has a larger seed with low fixed oil and higher mucilage content.
Mucilage is an emulsifier that keeps moisture content down in mustard, said Jo-Anne Relf-Eckstein, a plant breeder assistant at the Saskatoon Research Centre. It has become an important breeding factor in condiment mustard.
“Yellow mustard mucilage contributes to the consistency of prepared mustard and has potential as a food gum additive,” said a summary of the oilseed breeding program in Saskatoon.
“Its water-binding property is important for the use of yellow mustard flour in prepared meats.”
Relf-Eckstein said an identity preserved program was considered for Andante but it would be difficult because it is not protected by plant breeders’ rights.
Asked if Olds offers premiums for Andante, Dyck said he’d like to think there is a premium in the contract price for growers.
Mustard prices usually fluctuate quite a bit and once Olds comes out with a price it sticks with it, he said.
“It’s gotta be a strong price in January and it’s gotta be a strong price in March and April because if it isn’t, you lose the confidence of the people that are contracting with you,” he said.
“We have to have a price that works to get those half million or so acres into the ground.”
