Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/958362
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Box 1421 Carman, MB R0G 0J0 Ph: 1-204-745-3074 Sunflower Seed King Ronnie's promises more snack, less crack per pack BY DAVID SQUARE W hat's the official sunflower of the annual Altona Sunflower Festival? It's the remarkable heliotrope that produces Ronnie's Original Jumbo Seeds, a tasty product sold under the catchy marketing phrase, "More snackin' less crackin'." The clever slogan dreamed up by entrepreneur Ronnie Giesbrecht is a testament to the gigantic sunflower seeds he and his family have been har- vesting and selling for almost a quarter century. "Our oversize seeds were the first in North America to be retailed as jumbos," says Gies- brecht, who uses the word "original" on his pack- aging to differentiate his product from copies that have cropped up through the years. And well he should. Traipsing through fields in the Red River Val- ley to seek out plants that will produce the largest seeds requires a lot of time and effort. "I walk through fields and fields of sunflowers each season, selecting plants with the size and quality of seed required to make my product the best possible." Moreover, the knowledge he gained growing up on a farm south of Altona, the Sunflower Cap- ital of Canada, is essential to the success of the family business. As a boy, Giesbrecht was fascinated by packages of roasted sunflower seeds hanging on hooks in grocery stores. "I tasted different brands to decide what I liked and disliked about each one. Some bags contained small shells with no kernels inside, some had a few rotten seeds, and others included unpalatable husks and dust at the bottom," he says. His inquiring young mind eventually led him to decide that well-roasted jumbo kernels would become his trademark product when he became an entrepreneur in his twenties. In 1993, Giesbrecht started his business "from nothing." A year later, he and family members produced their first bags of jumbo seeds, working from a tiny farm shed. They learned to prepare a tasty seed that was neither under-cooked nor over-cooked and was coated with just the right amount of salt to appeal to customers. When the recipe was perfected, Giesbrecht spent many hours on the road introducing him- self and his jumbo seeds to retailers in southern Manitoba. Store owners liked the product, and today, that humble farm shed has sprouted into a 9,000-square-foot automated facility where seeds are coated with a special brine and roasted in a 700-degree oven for precisely 17 minutes. "Roasting is time sensitive. If the kernels are in the oven one minute too long, they'll be burnt; one minute too short and they'll be raw." The roasted seeds are checked for quality and flavour standards, then screened to remove dust and cracked shells. Giesbrecht employs five people to package and box the seeds, which are loaded onto his trucks for same-day-delivery. "This is a bakery style, made-to-order business that ensures our customers receive the freshest product possible," he says. "We do not stock- pile seeds." His seed selection now includes: Ronnie's Ori- ginal Jumbo salted, lightly salted and no salt, as well as gourmet seasoned, nacho cheese, dill pickle, salt-and-pepper, and jalapeno-and-cheddar. Giesbrecht has also diversified to include Ori- ginal Jumbo roasted peanuts and pistachios in his product line. "The peanuts and pistachios are hot sellers, but I have to source them from American growers in Texas and California. I have a reliable peanut grower in Texas, and I did have an excellent pis- tachio producer in California until drought and warm winters decimated the pistachio crop." Be that as it may, Giesbrecht and his family have grown their business to the point where big retailers like Sobeys and Co-op now stock their products, as do many convenience stores in south- ern Manitoba. The immediate business plan is to expand into Saskatchewan and Alberta, followed by Ontario and other parts of Canada. "I think we have a good chance to gain more market share because there has been a change in people's buying habits," he says. "Nowadays, they prefer homegrown products." "Roasting is time sensitive. If the kernels are in the oven one minute too long, they'll be burnt; one minute too short and they'll be raw." Entrepreneur Ronnie Giesbrecht puts a lot of time and effort into selecting the perfect plants for sunflower seeds. Photo by Darcy Finley – RONNIE GIESBRECHT 192 Main St N. Carman MB R0G 0J0 www.allnaturalmeats.ca Email: info@allnaturalmeats.ca Phone: 204-745-2763 Fax: 204-745-2037 BUY LOCAL BUY FRESH BUY ALL NATURAL MEATS Delivered to Winnipeg