A year after opening, a Regina flax seed processor is a long way from operating at full capacity.
But CanMar Grain Products Ltd. president Cecil Werner says more people are catching on to the health benefits of eating flax and his company will be there to supply it.
CanMar processes and markets roasted yellow flaxseed under the Flax For Nutrition label.
The idea came about several years ago when Werner considered the popularity of roasted sesame seeds as a snack in Asia.
Extensive testing of roasting processes and market identification followed.
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He set up CanMar, which is owned by Werner Agra Ltd. and other private investors, and turned sod for the plant in the summer of 2004.
CanMar purchased a state-of-the-art $700,000 roaster to ensure even processing and pasteurization. The seeds are constantly moving so they don’t burn.
“Roasting destroys any pathogens,” Werner said.
The company has applied for a patent on its roasting procedure.
The processed flax retains a high percentage of omega 3 fatty acids and makes the seeds taste nuttier.
Flax is also a good source of fibre and cancer-fighting lignans. It’s low in carbohydrates, not genetically modified and gluten free.
The flax is vacuum packed in 15 gram, 425 gram and five kilogram packages. In some markets, 200-gram packages will be available in the future.
The shelf life of an unopened package is about 18 months. Open packages will last about six months if kept in the refrigerator.
The company has also introduced milled flax mixes with either apple-cinnamon or natural blueberry flavors.
CanMar’s plant, located near the Regina airport, is capable of processing 10,000 tonnes but is now operating at less than 10 percent capacity.
“There are lots of challenges ahead,” Werner said during a recent plant tour, as the smell of roasting flax wafted through the processing area.
Still, aside from the domestic market, product is moving into the United States, Mexico, Ireland and Colombia. Werner recently met with Nippon Flour Mills in Japan.
“Flaxseed is not well understood in the Japanese market,” he said.
He hopes to be selling in Europe sometime this year.
“Germany has the largest per capita consumption in the world.”
Werner is encouraging restaurants to try flax in some of their menu offerings. He starts each day with a breakfast smoothie containing roasted flax. The flax breaks down when put in the blender and the resulting texture is smooth. He also suggests people add it to yogurt, salads and ice cream.
Long-term care homes are using it to aid in the digestive health of their residents. One to two tablespoons each day can help.
Eventually, CanMar will look at adding more value. Flax-based nutrition bars are a possibility.
The organic market is another. The Regina plant will be dual certified to package both organic and non-organic flaxseed.
CanMar contracts its production of AC Nugget flax and pays a grower premium of about 25 percent for the identity preservation, management, storage and hygienic practices growers must follow. Yields are within a couple bushels per acre of brown flax seed, Werner said.
In the plant, the flax is double cleaned, colour sorted and passes under magnets that remove foreign metal material. Werner said the colour sorter removes frozen seed that can be the same size and weight as the desired seed.
In June, the company gave away 23,000 small packages of roasted flax at a Vancouver food show. Hits on its website increased after that.
“We have a long ways to go yet,” said Werner. “I think we’re just scratching the surface.”
