David and Vicky Krause are banking on markets for lentil lasagna to help them live, farm and raise their family in rural Saskatchewan.
Lentil lasagna is the flagship for a line of lentil-based food products they hope to develop under their company name, Pulsewise Foods.
“We believe it has the potential to be successful and give us what we want, to stay in our life on the farm in rural Saskatchewan and give our kids what they need,” said David.
Three years ago, they decided to look for ways to add value to the crops they grew at Shaunavon, Sask. The couple, parents of two children, grows peas, lentils, durum and mustard on 2,000 acres with family members at Webster Farm.
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Bean prices have been slumping and the outlook is for more of the same.
“If we can find another use instead of shipping it in boatloads around the world, then let’s build an industry,” said David.
That’s a departure for many farmers, he said, noting most have relied for decades on the Canadian Wheat Board to market their crops.
The Krauses began their journey by meeting with experts such as the Saskatchewan Food Processors, brainstorming ideas for products and accessing funding for packaging and design from a federal funding agency.
“We discussed the ideas and possibilities,” said Vicky.
They settled on lasagna as their test product because it is well known to most people.
“People want stuff that looks good, smells good, tastes good,” said Vicky.
David thinks this dish can also satisfy those looking for healthier choices.
“If they can eat something in their diet without sacrificing taste and texture, why not,” he said.
The Krauses’ own tastes run more to meat and potatoes than pulses, but they are consciously trying to introduce more pulses into the family meals.
They also want to in-troduce pulses to North Americans.
A short-lived experiment in the Saskatoon Co-op had mixed results and pointed them toward more targeted vegetarian markets and specialty shops to the west in Alberta and British Columbia.
They plan to showcase their food at an independent grocer’s show in April in Calgary as part of their move into the health-conscious, ethnic and vegetarian marketplace.
“This trade show is as important to us as putting the crop in the ground,” said David, who noted seeding would wait until they return.
The Krauses continue to look for distributors and tweak their product. For example, they have packaged it in smaller serving sizes for sale as gourmet food in specialty sections.
They are also involved in a pilot project that attempts to provide an exchange of information between farmers and consumers.
“Consumers can pull a product as opposed to processors pushing it and building markets,” said David.
He would like to see a greater effort made by the pulse industry to promote the health benefits of pulses and develop markets in Canada instead of focusing on export markets.
The Krauses hope they will achieve success by being among the first on the store shelves with their products.
“We’ll be ready for the market when the market comes,” said David, who noted they could have a truckload of lasagna ready within two months.
The couple has spent minimal amounts of money to date but are certain of a payback.
“If we lose, we’ve just gained a lot of experience,” said David. “What we learn, we will apply it to whatever we do.”
