The strategy is simple: put flax on grocery store shelves alongside all the other cooking oils.
“Ten years ago, olive oil wasn’t even thought of. Now it has taken over almost half the shelf space. We plan on putting flax there in the same way,” said Barrie Briggs, vice-president of sales for Shape Foods Inc.
Briggs, who has spent nearly four years selling flax oil to the Wal-Marts of the world, gave a presentation Feb. 23 at a meeting in Boissevain, Man., detailing Shape’s flax plant that is going up in Brandon.
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The company is building a 2,100 sq. metre flax processing plant worth $30 million on 43 acres on the city’s east side. It will be in the shape of a giant dome, with no support pillars inside.
Special bottles designed to prevent the unstable oil from deteriorating are the key to marketing the flax product. Shape Foods has identified 11 strategies to keep the flax oil from going rancid, such as dark bottles to keep out light and the use of a plastic that prevents spoilage by isolating oxygen molecules.
Some of the other product design elements are secret and might be patented, said Briggs.
“If I told you, I’d have to shoot you,” he joked.
The company targets a monthly production capacity in its fifth year of 1.2 million, 500 millilitre-bottles, with 2.5 million pounds of meal as a byproduct. At start-up, 12 full-time production workers and eight other employees will be needed. After five years, according to sales projections, that number will be bumped up to about 55 production and 12 salaried staff.
After fish, flax contains the next largest amounts of the omega 3 class of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which the body cannot produce on its own and therefore must be supplemented in the diet.
Some studies have shown that omega 3 fatty acids offer a range of health benefits, such as reduced risk of blood clotting in people with heart disease.
Flax will soon replace fish as a source of omega 3 oils, he said, because of growing fears of mercury contamination, especially in seafood.
Many common ailments may be linked to deficiencies in omega 3, from arthritis to attention-deficit disorder. Naturopaths use it instead of Ritalin for treating hyperactive children, he said.
The company is working on a technique to “micro-encapsulate” the substance so that it may be added to any product without affecting the flavour.
Brandon was chosen over Yorkton, Sask., as the location for the flax plant because of the support of the municipal and provincial levels of government, as well as the area’s ample supply of flax and sunflowers. With a central location in North America, the city is in a good position for shipping both east and west.
Shape Foods will be using sunflowers as an ingredient in the production of blended oils containing omega 3 fatty acids, as well as omega 3,6 and omega 3,6,9. The 3 stands for flax, the 6 for sunflower and the 9 is olive oil, which will have to be imported.
Shape Foods has hired Edible Oils of Deloraine, Man., to procure, clean and deliver flax to the Brandon plant.
“We’ll be looking at contracting flax and sunflower seed in January 2008,” said Gary Nestibo, spokesperson for Edible Oils.
The company was formed last May by 15 farm families, four of whom own seed cleaning plants.
In coming years, after the Brandon plant reaches a certain annual tonnage, Edible Oils will build a seed cleaning plant on site.
Nestibo said that demand for omega 3 oils is set to skyrocket as public awareness in the product grows. Currently, use of the oils by manufacturers is hindered by lack of supply, since most of it is produced organically.
“I think we are right about at the start line, with a lot of companies wanting it in their food products,” he said.
“The system we have will not be organic; it will be all-natural. So we’ll be able to put out the volume and consistent supply that is needed.”
About 25 farmers have been contracted to grow flax on about 5,000 acres, for which they will be paid a special premium, said Nestibo.
