GLOBAL VENTURES MAGAZINE VOLUME TEN ISSUE FOUR • WINTER 2018 PM# 42591019 ON THE COVER: From field and forest to shelf with the Herb, Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association IN THIS ISSUE: Aligning leadership teams through Wellspring Growth Systems Saskatoon Berry Council promotes super fruit Export Award finalists STEP Associate Members Directory ON THE COVER: From field and forest to shelf with the Herb, Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association IN THIS ISSUE: Aligning leadership teams through Wellspring Growth Systems Saskatoon Berry Council promotes super fruit Export Award finalists STEP Associate Members Directory ON THE COVER: From field and forest to shelf with the Herb, Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association IN THIS ISSUE: Aligning leadership teams through Wellspring Growth Systems Saskatoon Berry Council promotes super fruit Export Award finalists STEP Associate Members Directory ON THE COVER: From field and forest to shelf with the Herb, Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association IN THIS ISSUE: Aligning leadership teams through Wellspring Growth Systems Saskatoon Berry Council promotes super fruit Export Award finalists STEP Associate Members Directory
Transcript
GLOBAL VENTURES MAGA
ZINE
VOLUME TEN ISSUE FOUR • WINTER 2018PM# 42591019
ON THE COVER:From field and forest to shelf with the Herb, Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association
IN THIS ISSUE:Aligning leadership teams through Wellspring Growth SystemsSaskatoon Berry Council promotes super fruitExport Award finalistsSTEP Associate Members Directory
ON THE COVER:From field and forest to shelf with the Herb, Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association
IN THIS ISSUE:Aligning leadership teams through Wellspring Growth SystemsSaskatoon Berry Council promotes super fruitExport Award finalistsSTEP Associate Members Directory
ON THE COVER:From field and forest to shelf with the Herb, Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association
IN THIS ISSUE:Aligning leadership teams through Wellspring Growth SystemsSaskatoon Berry Council promotes super fruitExport Award finalistsSTEP Associate Members Directory
ON THE COVER:From field and forest to shelf with the Herb, Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association
IN THIS ISSUE:Aligning leadership teams through Wellspring Growth SystemsSaskatoon Berry Council promotes super fruitExport Award finalistsSTEP Associate Members Directory
STEP Pre Market Membership Category Offers . . .
▪ Customized services designed for start up/near export ready Saskatchewan companies ▪ Services are tailored to enterprises who are not currently involved in export, are pre-commercialization, but have the
product or service offerings, resources, and commitment to initiate and pursue international markets ▪ Service offering is ideal for new to exporting enterprises who are aggressively seeking new business opportunities ▪ Suite of customized pre market membership services are available at reduced membership investment fees
STEP Pre Market Membership Category - Summary of Services
▪ Access to advice and guidance from STEP staff on markets and market development ▪ Access to STEP Market Studies and Exporting Guides ▪ Access to Pre Market Funding Program* ▪ Attendance at STEP Seminars, Trade Conferences, and Networking Events at member rates ▪ Corporate Profile in Sector Directories - STEP’s Global Ventures Magazine* ▪ Corporate Profile on STEP’s Corporate Website - Link to Members’ Site ▪ Customized Market Research Reports - Secondary Research - twenty-five (25) hours per year with an additional fee
for service option available thereafter ▪ Networking and business development opportunities ▪ Subscription to STEP’s Global Ventures Magazine* ▪ Discounted membership investment available for a one (1) year period ▪ Pre Market Membership Category is limited to new to STEP memberships
* Subject to availability.
Please visit www.sasktrade.sk.ca for additional Pre Market Membership Category service offerings, benefits, and information.
STEP Pre Market Membership Category Offers . . .
• Customized services designed for startup/near export ready Saskatchewan companies • Services are tailored to enterprises who are not currently involved in export, are pre-commercialization, but
have the product or service offerings, resources, and commitment to initiate and pursue international markets
• Service offering is ideal for new to exporting enterprises who are aggressively seeking new business
opportunities
• Suite of customized pre market membership services are available at reduced membership investment fees
STEP Pre Market Membership Category - Summary of Services • Access to advice and guidance from STEP staff on markets and market development
• Access to STEP Market Studies and Exporting Guides
• Access to Pre Market Funding Program*
• Attendance at STEP Seminars, Trade Conferences, and Networking Events at member rates
• Corporate Profile in Sector Directories - STEP’s Global Ventures Magazine*
• Corporate Profile on STEP’s Corporate Website - Link to Members’ Site
• Customized Market Research Reports -
Secondary Research - twenty-five (25) hours
per year with an additional fee for service
option available thereafter
• Networking and business development opportunities
• Subscription to STEP’s Global Ventures Magazine*
• Discounted membership investment available for a
one (1) year period
• Pre Market Membership Category is limited to
new STEP memberships * Subject to availability.
Please visit www.sasktrade.sk.ca for additional Pre Market Membership Category service offerings, benefits, and information.
PRE MARKET MEMBERSHIPNEW
GLOBAL VENTURES is the official quarterly publication of Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP). Submissions are welcomed. The Editor reserves the right to edit for clarity and length. Please contact the Editor for copy submission deadlines.
PUBLISHERS:Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP)www.sasktrade.sk.ca Regina: P.O. Box 1787320 - 1801 Hamilton Street, Regina, SK S4P 3C6Regina 306.787.9210 / Toll Free: 1.888.XPORTSKSaskatoon: 400 - 402 21st Street East Saskatoon, SK S7K 0C3Saskatoon 306.933.6551 / Toll Free: 1.888.XPORTSK
Benchmark Public Relations: 2260 McIntyre Street / Regina, SK S4P 2R9306.522.9326 / [email protected]
PRINTING: Western Litho Printers / Regina, SK Canada
DISTRIBUTION: Prairie Advertising Ltd./ Regina, SK Canada
Publication Mail Agreement # 42591019Return undeliverable mail to Administration Department, Benchmark Public Relations, 2260 McIntyre Street, Regina, SK S4P 2R9.
PRINTED IN CANADA
SPECIAL REPORT13 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Directory
FEATURES8 PROMOTING ONE OF
CANADA’S SUPER FRUITSSaskatoon Berry Council of Canada
26 GETTING LEADERSHIP TEAMS ALIGNEDWellspring Growth Systems
28 FROM FIELD AND FOREST TO SHELFHerb, Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association
GOVERNMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN APPOINTMENTSRick Burton, Deputy Minister,Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Regina
Laurie Pushor, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Energy and Resources, Regina
Kent Campbell, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Trade and Export Development, Regina
IN ADDITION TO highlighting the contributions of our Associate Members, this edition of Global Ventures features important outcomes from our recent Annual General Meeting.
We are excited by the opportunity for re-newal, and we’re delighted with the addition of three new members to our Board of Directors who have divergent entrepreneurial interests and strong business acumen - Mike Popo-wich from TA Foods Ltd., Scott Sawatsky from Crestline Coach Ltd., and Marlin Stangeland from Westcap Management Ltd. Welcome!
Our AGM also included the presentation of the STEP 2018 Export Award. As an export dependent province, this award is critical rec-ognition of export business excellence by the export industry. We extend sincere congratu-lations to 2018 winner Vendasta Technologies who are recognized around the world for their innovative and leading business platform.
We were also pleased to showcase four strong award finalists, including Ceres Glob-al Ag Corp., Northern Lights Foods, Radouga Distilleries Inc., and The Saskatoon Colostrum Co. Ltd. Congratulations to all our members for their integral role in growing the provincial economy.
This edition of Global Ventures also marks the 10th consecutive year of publication! GV was developed to feature member capabili-ties and promote the importance of exports to the provincial economy. In the past ten years
and 80 editions, we have showcased over 300 STEP members to 5,000 international contacts and 4,000 contacts in the provincial business community. As a member benefit, it is our priv-ilege to bring you these stories.
As 2018 comes to a close, the manage-ment, staff, and board of directors of STEP extend warmest wishes during the holiday season and all the best for a prosperous 2019!
GV was developed to feature member capabilities and promote the importance of exports to the provincial economy. In the past ten years and 80 editions, we have showcased over 300 STEP members to 5,000 international contacts and 4,000 contacts in the provincial business community.
WINTER 2018 | GLOBALVENTURES 5
STEP MEMBERS celebrate ABEX successCongratulations to the STEP members who were recognized at the 35th Achievement in Business Excellence (ABEX) Awards hosted by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce in Saskatoon.
• Business of the Year Award - Industrial Machine & Mfg. Inc. (IMM)
• Export Award (Sponsored by STEP) - Industrial Machine & Mfg. Inc.
• Growth and Expansion Award - Canadian Organic Spice & Herb Co. Inc.
• Innovation Award - InfraReady Products (1998) Ltd.
• Marketing Award - Luxury Granite• 2018 Business Leader of the Year -
Grant J. Kook, President & CEO, Westcap Management Ltd.
SASKATCHEWANvalue-added agriculture incentiveThe Government of Saskatchewan is now accepting applications for the Saskatchewan Value-Added Agriculture Incentive (SVAI). The SVAI aims to improve investment attraction and retention outcomes in the value-added agriculture sector. It offers a non-refundable, non-transferable 15 per cent tax credit on capital costs for newly-constructed or ex-panded value-added agriculture facilities.
Projects that qualify for SVAI include new and existing value-added agricultural facilities with $10 million in new capital expenditures. To be eligible, projects must demonstrate that capital expenditures were made to create new production or to increase existing pro-duction. The benefit redemption is limited to 20 per cent in year one after the facility enters operation, 30 per cent in year two and 50 per cent in year three.
Applications will be accepted until Decem-ber 31, 2022. For more details, visit www.saskatchewan.ca/Business/Investment-and-Eco-n o m i c - D e v e l o p m e n t / B u s i n e s s - I n c e n -tives-and-Tax-Credits/Saskatchewan-Value-Add-ed-Agriculture-Incentive.
FUNDING ANNOUNCEDfor women’s entrepreneurshipThe federal government has launched the Women Entrepreneurship Fund, investing $20 million over two years to help women-owned and led businesses grow and reach export markets. It will provide successful applicants with up to $100,000 in funding (non-repay-able contribution) to grow their existing busi-nesses. Visit https://www.ic.gc.ca and navigate to the Innovation, Science and Economic De-velopment Canada section to learn more.
CANADIAN PRODUCERSweathering market volatilityCanadian produc-ers are experienc-ing commodity price volatility due to an evolving and uncer-tain international trade environment, but that shouldn’t significantly impact Canada’s long-term export growth potential, according to a new Farm Credit Canada (FCC) trade report.
As several of the world’s largest trading nations redefine their trade relationships through negotiations or the imposition of tar-iffs, many smaller exporting countries are get-ting caught in the crossfire.
Canada has ranked as the world’s fifth-larg-est exporter of agriculture commodities since 2011. Between 2007-14, Canada also ranked 12th or 13th in world exports of food products, a ranking that has since improved to 11th.
The report looks at five commodities with-in three major export categories: oilseeds, cereals and meats. These categories repre-sented 41 per cent of Canada’s agricultural commodity and food product exports, worth a total of US$46.2 billion in 2017.
PREMIER MOE celebrates P&H grand openingParrish & Heimbecker recently celebrated the grand opening of their retail and fertilizer dis-
tribution centre in Moose Jaw. The Canadian grain company provides growers with a full range of seed and protection products as well as grain handling, marketing and exporting.
The P&H facility has expanded its fertilizer distribution centre to a capacity of approxi-mately 20,000 tons of fertilizer, which is cou-pled with a fertilizer blending operation. Event attendees included Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, Moose Jaw Mayor Fraser Tolmie, P&H Vice President of Crop Inputs Canada Justin Watson, and P&H Moose Jaw General manager Kerry Olson.
“This investment from P&H really brings ru-ral and urban Saskatchewan together. Prod-ucts that are grown in rural Saskatchewan are exported to countries all around the world,” Moe commented. “That investment from the value of those products comes back and is invested into urban centres of our province...communities like Moose Jaw. And it’s that in-vestment that provides careers for people in both rural and urban Saskatchewan.”
TMSpartners with RSCTerra Modelling Services (TMS) and RSC Mining and Mineral Exploration (RSC) have announced an agreement between the two companies to integrate their services. RSC is an international resource development spe-cialist headquartered in Australia, operating in Australasia, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. TMS is a Canadian full-service resource modelling consultancy and explora-tion logistics provider, servicing largely North and South America but also Africa and Eu-rope.
No investment details have been disclosed, but the companies state they are now stra-tegically aligned to broaden their combined technical capabilities globally. The co-opera-tion between RSC and TMS provides a con-siderable combined offering to the mineral exploration and mining market. This extends comprehensively across a greater array of technical disciplines, geographical service locations, spectrum of commodity expertise and depth of technical talent.
STEP members who have noteworthy news are invited to share that information with Global Ventures for our BIZNotes section. For further information or to submit content, please contact Heather Swan, Manager - Marketing & Communications at 306-787-7942 or [email protected].
BIZNOTES
6 GLOBALVENTURES | WINTER 2018
DECEMBER 2018TRADE MISSION - Pulses and Special Crops Trade Mission - European Union December 3-7 | Madrid, Spain/Rome, Italy The trade mission to Madrid and Rome will be the first independent pulse/special crops food trade mission under the new trade regime. The objective is to meet prequalified traders and distributors, visit stores, and network with industry stakeholders. STEP will provide Saskatchewan value added food product suppliers with a strong plat-form to export to the region. STEP is also working with the Trade Commissioner Ser-vice in both locations to develop a robust program for attending members.Contact: Mortoza Tarafder, Director, Agriculture 306 787 9687 | [email protected]
JANUARY 2019TRADE MISSION - Contract Manufacturing in the US January 22-24 | Minneapolis, MN The mission program will focus on contract and OEM manufacturing. This event is ideal for companies who are new to exporting to the US market or those wanting to expand on their current US business by making new contacts. Participating members will learn about the Upper Midwest US manufacturing market, understand key requirements of the export process, uncover new market opportunities, and make connections with key industry leaders. Contact: Simon Stewart, Trade Specialist, Manufacturing306 787 9335 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - AME Roundup January 28-31 | Vancouver, BCSTEP will secure booth space and book meetings in and around AME Roundup. The venue is an excellent place to connect with junior mining companies and contacts in the mineral exploration/development sector. Exploration expenditures were up by 20% in British Columbia in 2017, making this the first increase since 2012. In 2018, 6,570 participants attended the event with an 11% increase from the previous year.Contact: Ryan Niemela, A/Director, Technology, Services & Resources306 933 6558 | [email protected]
FEBRUARY 2019TRADE MISSION - World Ag Expo February 12-14 | Tulare, CASTEP will organize a trade mission to World Ag Expo, the world’s largest outdoor agri-cultural exposition. The event has officially been designated by the US Department of Commerce as an affiliate of the Foreign Buyer Program encouraging exportation of American made goods. STEP will partici-pate with a trade show display and arrange B2B programs with attending dealers, distributors and international visitors.Contact: Rob Ziola, Senior Director, Manufacturing 306 933 6557 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - BIOFACH and Secondary Market February 12-20 | Nuremberg, GermanySTEP is currently recruiting members to at-tend BIOFACH 2019. With 2,700 exhibitors expected from 120 countries, the event will be of interest to organic and natural prod-ucts producers and processors, including raw materials, convenience foods, grains, seeds, pulses, herbs, spices, flavourings, cosmetics, consumer goods, organic farming associations, processors’ associ-ations and heath food suppliers. BIOFACH is an excellent venue for industry members to gather information pertaining to current market figures, trends and strategies. Contact: Jeff Cooper, Director, Agri-Value306 933 6512 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - Pulses and Special Crops - Gulffood & Jordan February 13-19 | Dubai, UAE/ Amman, Jordan STEP will lead a trade mission to the Gulfood Show in Dubai followed by a two-day mission to Amman, Jordan. The trade mission will focus on special crops and commodities as the UAE and Middle East are growing markets for special crops products. Contact: Mortoza Tarafder, Director, Agriculture 306 787 9687 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - SME Mining February 24-27 | Denver, CO The Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Explo-ration’s (SME) Annual Conference & Expo provides an excellent opportunity for com-
panies in the mining and related industries to display their products and services to the US mining sector. Over 6,500 attendees will attend technical sessions and interact with 700+ exhibitors. Contact: Ryan Niemela, A/Director, Technology, Services and Resources306 933 6558 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - SIMAFebruary 24-28 | Paris, France SIMA, a European show offered every two years, focuses on farming solutions, includ-ing row crops, specialty crops and livestock farming. Last year, the show attracted 230,000+ attendees from 135 countries while hosting 1,800 exhibiting companies from 42 countries. This is an excellent place to display Saskatchewan capabilities and promote products to the European mar-ket. STEP has secured space in the North American Pavilion that will host Canadian/US companies.Contact: Simon Stewart, Trade Specialist, Manufacturing306 787 9335 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - Canadian Ingredients Mission February 26-28 | Minneapolis, MN/ Chicago, ILSTEP will organize a Market Development Trade Mission in partnership with other provinces and the Trade Commissioner Ser-vice. The primary objective of the mission is to meet distributors and manufacturers of food products and to conduct an outreach to the business community in the regions. Contact: Kira Novak, Trade Specialist, Agri-Value306 787 5708 | [email protected]
MARCH 2019TRADE MISSION - PDAC March 3-6 | Toronto, ON The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada hosts the country’s largest annu-al mining investment and exploration show. In 2018, PDAC attracted over 25,000 people from 125 countries. STEP will secure booth space and design programming, including B2B meetings for members as well as par-ticipation in the Saskatchewan reception. Contact: Ryan Niemela, A/Director, Technology, Services and Resources306 933 6558 | [email protected]
UPCOMING TRADE EVENTSUPCOMING TRADE EVENTS
WINTER 2018 | GLOBALVENTURES 7
TRADE MISSION - Livestock Genetics March 4-8 | Warsaw, Poland STEP will organize a livestock sector trade mission with a focus on genetics. While developing the program, STEP will also work with the Trade Commissioner Service to design the sector specific event.Contact: Mortoza Tarafder, Director, Agriculture 306 787 9687 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - Foodex Japan and Thailand Outreach March 4-9 | Tokyo, Japan/ Bangkok, Thailand Foodex Japan is the largest Asian food show dedicated to food and drink across Japan and all of Asia. In a four-day span, over 80,000 buyers from food services, distribution, and trading companies are expected to attend. Buyers will attend from abroad and business talks will be held with domestic and international manufacturers. Contact: Yi Zeng, Senior Director, Asia306 787 2194 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - Natural Products Expo West (NPEW) March 5-9 | Anaheim, CASTEP is recruiting companies to partici-pate in a trade mission to NPEW. With over 80,000 retailers, 3,500 booths, manufac-turers, exhibitors and media in attendance, NPEW is the largest new products show-case in the country.Contact: Jeff Cooper, Director, Agri-Value306 933 6512 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - VIV Asia March 11-15 | Bangkok, Thailand VIV Asia is the leading trade exhibition in the South Eastern Region for professionals in animal production and the processing of feed, dairy, eggs and meat with healthy growth ambitions. VIV Asia is a great platform for STEP animal feed and nutrition members to find potential trading partners in the region. Contact: Yi Zeng, Senior Director, Asia306 787 2194 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - Agri-Food Trade Mission - Mexico March 18-22 | Mexico The mission will focus on special crops and commodities including oil seeds. The Mexican market is changing with interest from various business groups over a wide range of products. The planned mission will include potential partnerships with other provinces, industry associations, exporters and B2B meetings with local industries as well as the presentation of technical seminars. Contact: Mortoza Tarafder, Director, Agriculture 306 787 9687 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - Montreal Wood Convention March 19-22 | Montreal, QC The Montreal Wood Convention is orga-nized by the Quebec Wood Export Bureau. The event covers the economy, markets, impacts of the global economy, housing sector information, and leading suppliers of equipment/services to the wood products industry. The convention holds a trade show in conjunction with the event, which will connect wood suppliers with key wholesal-ers, building material distributors, building product retailers, and brokers/traders. Contact: Simon Stewart, Trade Specialist, Manufacturing306 787 9335 | [email protected]
TRADE MISSION - International Building & Construction Trade Fair (IBCTF) and Outreach Forestry Mission to China March 19-21 | Shanghai, ChinaIBCTF is an international trade show cover-ing the sectors of building and construction materials, logging, and wood decorative board materials.Contact: Yi Zeng, Senior Director, Asia306 787 2194 | [email protected]
SEMINARS SEMINAR - Proposed China Free Trade Zones (FTZ) Gateway Pilot ProjectDecember 6 | STEP Regina and Saskatoon Boardrooms, SK This is an opportunity to learn about a pilot program designed exclusively for STEP members. Free Trade Zones (FTZs) are eco-nomic zones where goods may be landed, handled, manufactured and re-exported without being subject to duty/customs clearance. FTZs and their service partners provide services that reduce the complexity of import, promotion, distribution and mar-ket access. STEP has visited the Qingdao FTZ and Shanghai Greenland’s Global Commodity Trading Hub to explore oppor-tunities/benefits to using their warehouse facilities and related importation services.Contact: Yi Zeng, Senior Director, Asia 306 787 2194 | [email protected]
SEMINAR - Export Insights SeriesDecember 12 | Saskatoon, SK STEP will launch the Export Insights Series, featuring perspectives from experienced exporters. The seminar will feature Bill Bak-er, President of Agtron Enterprises, who will provide his unique perspectives on building his business and what he has learned through both successes and failures. Contact: Katie Kraus, Trade Officer, Asia 306 798 4651 | [email protected]
For a full listing of STEP activities and additional upcoming events,
visit www.sasktrade.sk.ca.
8 GLOBALVENTURES | WINTER 2018
SASKATOON BERRIES have been described as one of Canada’s super fruits. The wild fruit from the Canadian Prairies has been grown and enjoyed by North Americans for hundreds of years.
The berry can be enjoyed in numerous baked goods - from pies to muffins to cheese-cakes - added to smoothies and even used as spreads, such as jam, syrup and sauces. Nutrition wise, the high levels of antioxidants in Saskatoon berries act as a protective guard to our immune system and helps neutralize major free radicals, protecting against various diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer; defending against inflammato-
ry illnesses; and helping to reduce oxidative stress associated with aging.
Despite the tastiness and benefits of Sas-katoon berries, before the Saskatoon Ber-ry Council of Canada (SBCC) was formed in 2009, the results of bringing this product to market had been mixed.
“The industry was struggling with underde-veloped markets and oversupply of fruit by the growers in Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatch-ewan,” said Sandra Purdy, SBCC president. “In the prairie provinces, there were three as-sociations that fruit growers could join to get more information on growing fruit in Western Canada.
“For the most part, the main focus was on growing and maintaining orchards and noth-ing on developing market opportunities or developing the unique selling propositions of Saskatoon berries relative to other fruit on the market. U-pick growers were finding they did not have enough customers to sell all the fruit they grew. As a result, a few of the larger grow-ers got together to discuss how markets could be developed and what needed to be done to get into larger markets.”
Promoting a Canadian
SUPER FRUIT Saskatoon Berry Council of Canada grows the industry
BY: JONATHAN HAMELIN
Promoting a Canadian
SUPER FRUIT Saskatoon Berry Council of Canada grows the industry
BY: JONATHAN HAMELIN
Promoting a Canadian
SUPER FRUIT Saskatoon Berry Council of Canada grows the industry
BY: JONATHAN HAMELIN
WINTER 2018 | GLOBALVENTURES 9
After the SBCC formed, it took members until 2011 to develop a strategy moving for-ward. Purdy noted that the growth of an in-dustry can be “long, painful and requires a lot of patience to move through the development phases.”
Part of this process involved understanding the challenges of growers.
“There are high upfront costs of getting into Saskatoon berry orchards, and it takes a grower seven years to get to full production of their orchard,” Purdy said. “The infrastructure of the industry as a whole is a challenge given there is only one federally-regulated primary handling plant for Saskatoon berries. Anoth-
er challenge involves the transition of existing aging growers that are looking to exit the in-dustry.”
SBCC decided to move forward with three strategic objectives: 1. Develop a believable and sustainable health position in the mind of the consumer; 2. Undergo long-term, sci-ence-focused research to build the success of the industry; 3. Process Saskatoon berries to ensure continued growth of the industry.
Purdy feels that one of SBCC’s greatest successes in advancing the industry was the scientific research it undertook on human nutrition to build basic research that demon-strates Saskatoon berries can contribute posi-
High antioxidant levels in Saskatoon berries help protect against various diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer; defend against inflammatory illnesses; and reduce oxidative stress associated with aging.
10 GLOBALVENTURES | WINTER 2018
tively to improved consumer health. Research such as this has helped SBCC created market awareness about the Saskatoon berry.
“Saskatoon berries are relatively unknown in other parts of Canada and around the world. As a result, the market for Saskatoon berries is limited mostly to the prairie provinces,” Purdy said. “SBCC has been focused on attracting larger markets domestically and internationally through strong market awareness, education and targeted messages to stakeholders.”
SBCC initially had 45 members representing 883 acres and pro-duction of about 1.6 million pounds, but its membership has dwindled to 18 members representing 525 acres with production of 1.1 million pounds. These growers are from the prairie provinces and Ontario.
“What we have found over the years is that it’s the growers with a long-term vision of the industry that remain a part of the council,” Purdy said. “We have also seen a significant decrease in the number of growers staying in the Saskatoon berry industry because they were U-picked focused, too small to take advantage of technology that could reduce both growing and harvesting costs, or decided to go it on their own.”
With that being said, Purdy noted that the growth in market oppor-tunities has been good for the remaining membership.
“We have a large international player in Germany that is working with the industry to open new functional food market opportunities,” she said. “It’s tough to predict what the future holds for the industry, but being the optimistic person I am, I would say in the next three years we will have a product that will enter into the nutraceutical mar-ket and wow the Canadian industry.”
As a member of STEP since 2009, SBCC feels it has support in growing the market.
“Our benefits have been from the perspective of helping to build global awareness of this super fruit grown here in Canada,” Purdy said.
BACK IN THE DAYHistorically, Saskatoon berries were a popular and widely-used plant among many North American Indian tribes. The berries were a staple food, often the only kind of fruit available, and many tribes held ceremonies and feasts to celebrate the beginning of the Saskatoon harvest.
EVERY PART OF THE SASKATOON BUSH WAS PUT TO GOOD USEThe berry was eaten fresh or prepared in a variety of ways - steamed and mashed, made into cakes and dried into a brick-like consistency where pieces could be chopped off as needed and added to soups, stews or boiled to reconstitute them. Young shredded shoots, mashed dried berries and dry leaves were used to make tea and dried saskatoon berries were a common item of trade. Several parts of the shrub, including the roots, bark, stems, twigs and even the berries, were used medicinally to help treat many different ailments. The wood of the Saskatoon bush was perfect for making arrows and other tools, basket frames and crosspieces for canoes.
SASKATOON BERRIES WERE ALSO POPULAR WITH EUROPEAN EXPLORERS AND SETTLERSOften the only fruit available to early prairie settlers, Saskatoon berries were an important food source to victims of drought and depression in the 1930s. The green fruit was crushed and used to treat diarrhea, while juice from ripe berries was used as a laxative and to treat stomach aches.
European settlers used the wood to make umbrella handles and fish poles. The first commercial Saskatoon orchards were established in the early 1970s, and though it is difficult to get an accurate estimate of the total acreage of Saskatoons planted to date, it is known that a large portion of the orchards are U-pick operations for customers seeking berries for personal use.
WINTER 2018 | GLOBALVENTURES 11
Local business with international appealConexus Credit Union offers a wide variety of business servicesto help you succeed not only right here at home but also on the international stage
1.800.667.7477 • conexus.ca
WHEN YOU DO BUSINESS with Conexus Credit Union, you’re truly in it togeth-er. The financial co-operative is proud to treat its business members as partners.
Conexus is Saskatchewan’s largest and Canada’s sixth largest credit union, made up of 900 employees across 39 branches and managing $7.88 billion in total funds. It provides personalized service for individuals, start-up businesses, commercial businesses and agri-culture (both producer and agri-business).
Conexus has over 126,000 members who are unique because they receive their own mem-bership shares and can vote in director elec-tions and participate in the AGM. Members can also participate in member voice panels, which drive change within the company. Prof-its go back to members through products, rates and services.
According to Maggie Sinclair, executive vice president of business solutions at Conexus, treating members as partners “allows a more holistic approach to how members think about their financial decisions and actions to improve their overall financial well-being.”
“These partnerships allow Conexus to lend industry expertise not only in finance, but extending beyond to leadership and mentor-ship,” she said. “Innovation is at the core of Conexus’ focus, leading the industry by pro-viding creative solutions to help businesses achieve success and improve the communities they serve.”
One way in which Conexus supports busi-ness innovation is through its Business Incu-bator program launched in 2018. Conexus has created a space where innovative start-ups can explore their entrepreneurial spirit.
“They have access to training and support programs, as well as mentors who continue to impact the economic landscape in Saskatche-wan and abroad; 98 per cent of businesses in Saskatchewan are small or micro businesses, creating thousands of jobs across the prov-ince,” Sinclair said.
Conexus also offers its Business Accelerator programs on a monthly basis, partnering with
MNP to provide an extensive offering of busi-ness courses. These complimentary courses allow business to learn from anywhere and the service is completely complimentary.
“It’s our way of continuing to improve the business communities to which we serve,” Sinclair said.
And the innovation doesn’t stop there for Conexus. The newly created Venture Capital Fund will create a new way for Conexus to invest in businesses, support members and provide an alternative investment option for members themselves.
When dealing with a Conexus employee, you can be confident they have your best in-terests in mind because they are also mem-bers, too. Sinclar said the financial well-being of members is “at the forefront of every thing we do.” This year, Conexus introduced its pro-prietary Financial Health Indicator, which will work to align employee performance with the organization’s purpose of improving the finan-cial well-being of its members.
Along with focusing on the success of its members, Conexus also cares about the com-munities they reside in. In 2017, more than 100 initiatives benefited from Conexus’ Communi-ty Investment Program and $1.05 million dol-
lars were invested back into the communities. Conexus views financial literacy as a large component of finan-
cial well-being and invests $400,000 toward financial literacy education programs, helping contribute to communities in a way that cre-ates a lifelong impact on a critical life skill.
Every partnership starts with a conversation. Sinclair encourages prospective members to reach out to her at (306) 690-9215 or [email protected] if they have any questions.
BY: JONATHAN HAMELIN
CONEXUS puts members’ financial well-being at forefront
INNOVATION is at the core of Conexus’ focus, leading the industry by providing creative solutions to help businesses achieve success and improve the communities they serve.
- Maggie Sinclair, executive vice president,
business solutions, Conexus
Conexus supports business innovation in SK.
FOUNDED IN 1992, the Saskatoon Regional Economic De-velopment Authority (SREDA) works with the City of Saskatoon, Re-gional Municipalities and 150 private sector investors to strengthen and grow the Saskatoon Region economy. Over the past four years SREDA has won multiple awards in recognition of its strong team and work to promote the Saskatoon Region. The organization has an experienced leadership team along with a strong and engaged Board of Directors comprised of government and business leaders from across the Sas-katoon Region.
SREDA is a progressive organization built on four core values: out-standing, trust, partnerships and teamwork. These core values speak to the organization’s commitment to working with the local community and stakeholders.
To strengthen and grow the local economy, SREDA provides pro-grams and services around six core areas of economic development:
1. Business Attraction & Expansion Attract and assist businesses in the Saskatoon Region to create jobs and a competitive economy.
2. Entrepreneurship Assist entrepreneurs to start and grow their business in Sas-katchewan.
3. Regional Economic Development & Planning Coordinate effective regional planning to encourage and support growth across the Region.
4. Indigenous Economic Development Develop effective Indigenous economic development strategies to encourage and support inclusion and growth in the Saskatoon Region.
5. Economic Intelligence Provide insight and forecasts on economic trends in the local economy to assist stakeholders with future planning.
6. Marketing the Saskatoon Region & Talent Attraction Promote the Saskatoon Region as the best place to work, live and invest in order to support population growth.
The team at SREDA develop and execute numerous initiatives to support economic development including the Agriculture Technology HARVEST program, a business attraction program where technology companies compete to travel to Saskatoon to showcase their technol-ogy, the Business Development Tax Incentive Program, an incentive that supports local business expansion, Regional Business Opportuni-ties Tours, and much more.
FUN FACT: SREDA has sent out the SREDA NEWSflash every weekday morning for more than three years - that’s 756 days and counting! Not on the list? Sign-up at: SREDA.com.
SREDA Helps strengthen and grow the local economy
HOW
SREDA develops and executes numerous initiatives to support economic development, including the Agriculture Technology HARVEST program, the Business Development Tax Incentive Program, Regional Business Opportunities Tours, and much more.
2018 EDITION
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS PRODUCTS & SERVICES
14 GLOBALVENTURES | WINTER 2018
STEP associate members: products and services
Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS)Regina, Saskatchewanwww.apas.ca
Products and services include advocacy for a strong, effective pol-icy on behalf of Saskatchewan’s agricultural producers and special pricing and discounts to its members through the APAS My Re-wards program.
Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan Inc. (ACS)Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.agcouncil.ca
Products and services include identifying challenges and opportu-nities common to our members and stakeholders, supporting and promoting appropriate collaborative action, innovative approaches and options, levy collection services and election services.
Ag-West Bio Inc.Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.agwest.sk.ca
Products and services include strategic networking opportunities to the life science community, conferences, seminars, and opportuni-ties to participate in trade shows in export markets.
Air-Ship International Inc.Mississauga, Ontariowww.airshipintl.com
Products and services include documentation services (letter of credits, legalization, certificate of origin and export declarations), warehousing services in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, the abil-ity to stuff and de-stuff containers, as well as load and transfer a wide variety of goods.
Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc.Regina, Saskatchewanwww.aon.ca
Products and services include commercial insurance, personal in-surance, risk control, mergers and acquisitions, surety and bonding, negotiating trade credit insurance, strategic risk solutions and risk management services, including insurance placement, specialized brokerage services, program development, administration, premi-um financing and loss control services.
Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - SK (ACEC-SK)Regina, Saskatchewanwww.acec-sk.ca
Products and services include an association of member firms of-fering services in specialized fields, including aerospace, agricul-ture, building science, chemical engineering, cold climate engi-
neering, communications/telecommunications, computer science, electrical, energy, energy geoscience, environmental, environmental geoscience, fisheries, forensic, forestry, geophysics, geotechnical, industrial, marine and coastal, materials, mechanical, mineral geo-science, mining engineering, municipal, occupational health and safety, petroleum engineering, planning, pressure vessels, project management, research, structural-buildings, structural-other, sur-veying and mapping, temporary works and transportation.
Avison Young Commercial Real Estate (Sask) Inc.Regina, Saskatchewanwww.avisonyoung.com
Products and services include value-added, cli-ent-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to own-ers and occupiers of office, retail, industrial and multi-family proper-ties, full-service commercial real estate, office, industrial and retail leasing, tenant and landlord representation services, property ac-quisitions and dispositions, corporate advisory services, asset, project and property management, as well as consulting and re-search.
Benchmark Public RelationsRegina, Saskatchewanwww.benchmarkpr.ca
Products and services include strategic communications and mar-keting, issues management, writing, media buying, event planning, print and website design, and media relations training.
Better Business Bureau of Saskatchewan Inc.Regina, Saskatchewanwww.bbb.org
Products and services include mediation between busi-nesses and consumers who cannot reach an agreement regarding disputes, reliability reports on businesses in the Saskatchewan area, and other benefits to members.
BMO Financial GroupVancouver, British Columbiawww.bmo.com
Products and services include trade products, issuance, confirma-tion, discounting and refinancing of documentary letters of credit, stand-by credits or guarantees, bankers, acceptances, documenta-ry collections, buyer credit and suppliers credit. Tradevenue Direct, and a unique web-based payables financing platform to optimize the management of working capital.
BNSF RailwayCalgary, Albertawww.bnsf.com
Products and services include rail transportation to agriculture, coal, intermodal and industrial product customers.
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WE TRUST that you wil find this issue of Global Ventures valu-able and one that you will want to refer to when conducting interna-tional business. Present in this directory are STEP Associate Mem-bers (businesses providing services to exporters) who offer a cross section of essential services required by provincial exporters. Cou-pled with their service delivery is the knowledge, expetise, and a thor-ough understanding of exporting from a Saskatchewan perspective.
This editiion of Global Ventures includes a direcotry of relative products and services such as logistics, transportation, trade fi-nance, foreign exchange, customs brokers, tax advisory, international law, consulting services and many other services that all play a role in a company’s ability to navigate their way to export success. By ac-cessing these services, provincial exporters can benefit from working with these service providers who assist other STEP members and fully understand international trade.
Products and services include brand ar-chitecture, brand coaching, competitive analysis, name development, positioning, research, brand/corporate identity, brand standards manual, advertising and print collateral, il-lustration and photography, investor relations materials, online and website design, packaging and signage, writing and content devel-opment, strategic marketing and implementation, corporate storytell-ing, marketing research and measurement, campaign management, media strategy, social media strategy, public relations, communi-cation audits, communication management, change and transition strategy, and internal and external communication management.
Bridgepoint Business BrokersSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.yourbridgepoint.ca
Products and services include a full service brokerage firm, offering services for buyers and sellers during the business merger or acqui-sition process.
Brightenview Development International Inc.Regina, Saskatchewanwww.brightenview.com
Products and services include a platform to facilitate international trade and business investment in Saskatchewan.
Broekman Logistics Division B.V.Rotterdam, The Netherlandswww.broekmanlogistics.com
Products and services include end to end supply chain services, air freight imports and exports, sea freight imports and exports, ware-housing services, kitting services, machinery assembly services, in-tra-European road distribution, intra-European and global express services, and customs clearance services.
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.bdc.ca
Products and services include financial services, con-sulting services, subordinate financing, and venture capital.
Canada China Business CouncilToronto, Ontariowww.ccbc.com
Products and services include Chinese business information, the or-ganization of trade events in both China and Canada, and advocacy services.
Canada’s Farm Progress Show (CFPS)Regina, Saskatchewanwww.myfarmshow.com
Products and services include dryland farm-ing equipment, services and technologies. Canada’s Farm Progress Show’s purpose is to connect producers, manufacturers and buyers from around the world to the latest innovations in dryland farming.
Canadian Cherry Producers Inc.Kenaston, Saskatchewanwww.cherryproducers.com
Products and services include premium cher-ries developed by the University of Saskatchewan.
Canadian Feed Research CentreSaskatoon, Saskatchewanfeeds.innovation.usask.ca
Products and services include the design, implementation and de-livery of applied research and development with feed ingredients and processing technologies, dissemination of technical and stra-tegic information, initiation and implementation of targeted research, development and technology transfer activities on feed ingredients and processing specific to industry needs, accessible entity to link national and international industry players related to feed utilization.
Canadian Food Exporters Association (CFEA)Toronto, Ontariowww.cfea.com
Products and services include seminars, work-shops, trade shows, trade missions, regulatory information and government advocacy.
Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce Inc.Toronto, Ontariowww.germanchamber.ca
Products and services include research, market studies, business partner search, consulting services, trade fairs and conferences.
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME)Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.cme-mec.ca
Products and services in-clude advocacy, real-time business insight and intelligence, network-ing and educational opportunities, leadership and safety training, productivity support, and member discount programs.
Canadian Special Crops Association (CSCA)Winnipeg, Manitobawww.specialcrops.mb.ca
Products and services include the use of CSCA trade rules, reduced fee for CSCA annual meeting, reduced fee for CSCA arbitrations, the opportunity for input on the committees that regulate the industry, access to the CSCA’s arbitration case-study library, and the opportunity to network with other specialty crop leaders and to vote on issues affecting the industry.
Canadian Western AgribitionRegina, Saskatchewanwww.agribition.com
Products and services include a showcase of beef genetics, as well as horses, bison, sheep and alpacas, professional rodeo, horse events, conferences and workshops, and an extensive lifestyles and agribusiness trade show.
Canaryseed Development Commission of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.canaryseed.ca
Products and services include the promotion of canaryseed production and a check off system enabling CDCS to support research, communica-tions, and market facilitation activities.
Central North American Trade Corridor Association (CNATCA)Bismarck, North Dakotawww.cnatca.com
Products and services include business assis-tance in cross-border growth.
Products and services include product certification, European prod-uct legislation, international product safety regulations, technical and legal issues pertaining to product safety, and authorized represen-tation.
Community Futures Saskatchewan (CFS)Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.cfsask.ca
Products and services include fos-tering increased communication be-tween offices, advocating the bene-fits of the Community Futures program to both public organizations and government agencies, continuing education and training of CF staff and negotiating with prospective associate organizations on be-half of member CFs.
Products and services include financial services, electronic banking services, Foreign Exchange Platform (FX), and Conexus Business Accelerator courses.
Connected World Translation ServicesRegina, Saskatchewanwww.connectedworldtranslation.com
Products and services include translation of manu-als, websites and brochures for marketing and sales for various industries such as agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, education, etc.; translation of documents for con-ferences, foreign affairs, foreign trade, legal documentation, video scripts, applications, and forms; notary public services to adminis-ter oaths, receipt of affirmations and declarations; and interpretation services upon request.
Products and services include bid development, securing hotel and meeting space proposals, sponsorship assistance, suggestions for unique off-site locations and companion programs, site tours and familiarization tours for groups considering Regina as the host city for a convention.
Products and services include comprehensive logistics services.
DJ Knoll Transport Ltd.Emerald Park, Saskatchewanwww.djknoll.com
Products and services include a transportation company providing services across Canada and the United States.
Economic Development Regina (EDR)Regina, Saskatchewanwww.economicdevelopmentregina.com
Products and services include the development, maintenance and implementation of eco-nomic development strategies for the Regina region, market information for business, industry and investors, supply chain analysis and competitive intelligence research, destination marketing, visitor services, collaboration with community partners to attract national and international events, con-ventions, meetings and trade shows, site location assistance, partic-ipation in trade missions, liaise with federal and provincial economic development and trade offices, and local municipal departments af-fecting business.
EncoreFXSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.encorefx.com
Products and services include foreign exchange, access to global payment experts, competitive exchange rates on dollar conversions for US currency, Canadian currency and many others, swift foreign currency payments in over 50 currencies, foreign exchange market insights to achieve better rates, as well as dynamic hedging and risk management strategies using forward and/or option contracts for qualified businesses.
Equipment Data Associates (EDA)Charlotte, North Carolinahttp://www.edadata.com
Products and services include a powerful market intelligence tool and web-based tool, the Catapult, to track information, integration of real-time, UCC lien registration data into every aspect of business, harvesting new leads, maintaining a higher level of service, measur-ing the ROI of marketing and trade show strategies, identifying new product opportunities, and more.
Equipment Marketing & Distribution Association (EMDA)Iowa City, Iowawww.EMDA.net
Products and services include representing whole-saler-distributors and manufacturers’ represen-tatives of agricultural machinery, light industrial equipment, outdoor power equipment, timber/logging equipment and parts or components for any of those industries, a Membership Directory of products, and prime opportunities to make contact with North American distributors and reps during the annual Fall Conven-tion, the Contact Session and the Industry Showcase.
Estevan Chamber of CommerceEstevan, Saskatchewanwww.estevanchamber.ca
Products and services include professional services for members.
Export - Import Trade Centre of Canada & USA Ltd./ Eximcan CanadaToronto, Ontariowww.eximcan.com
Products and services include pulses, lentils, green peas (split/whole), yellow peas (split/whole), chickpeas, beans, dark red kidney beans, light red kidney beans, navy beans, white kidney beans, large lima beans, alubia beans, black beans, pinto beans, pink beans, cranberry seeds, sunflower seeds, coriander, mustard, canary, and milled flax seed.
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Export Development Canada (EDC)Regina, Saskatchewanwww.edc.ca
Products and services include trade finance and risk management services, accounts receivable insurance, financing and guarantees.
FIRMA Foreign Exchange CorporationSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.firmafx.com
Products and services include FIRMA Currency Specialists ready to help manage international payments and receipts, so clients can manage their business. FIRMA can send and receive funds in a wide variety of methods: wires, EFT / bank transfers and cheques. Their Currency Specialists can facilitate spot orders, forward contracts and market orders. No matter what the currency needs are, FIRMA keeps it simple, fast and secure. FIRMA offers currency solutions and peace of mind when it comes to global trading.
FITA - Federation of International Trade AssociationsBrooklyn, New Yorkwww.fita.org
Products and services include a free email newsletter featuring links to websites aimed at professionals in import-export and international trade, as well as a general interest website for entertainment and daily life, communications services, FITA/ConferencePlus Program, audio, web and video conferencing services, travel services, international marketing services, and more.
Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)Ottawa, Ontariowww.fittfortrade.com
Products and services include international business training, international business certi-fication, and membership.
Products and services include technical support for forest operations, wood products, manufacturing and pulp/paper making, product de-velopment services for wood products and value-chain optimization for wood products, market demand and market development ser-vices for wood products, pre-feasibility studies, business mentoring, business support for forest operations and manufacturing, as well as innovations, testing process and product development for roads and transport engineering for forestry, mining, oil, gas and agriculture.
Global Affairs CanadaRegina, Saskatchewanhttp://tradecommissioner.gc.ca/index.aspx
Products and services include help for Canadian companies and organizations to increase revenues and lower costs of global busi-ness through four key services, including preparation for international markets, market potential assessment, qualified contacts, and prob-lem solving.
Global Export Partners Ltd.Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.globalexportpartners.com
Products and services include Canadian commodities and products such as grains, oilseeds, food products and more.
Global Trade Credit Inc.Calgary, Albertawww.globaltradecredit.ca
Products and services include a whole turnover or short-term multi-buyer policy, named buyer or short-term key ac-count policy, single buyer or short-term credit insurance policy, medi-um-term credit insurance policy, excess of loss policy (XOL), as well as a political risk policy.
Global Transportation HubRegina, Saskatchewanwww.thegth.com
Products and services include fully-serviced, competitively priced greenfield land for lease or purchase.
Greater Saskatoon Chamber of CommerceSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.saskatoonchamber.com
Products and services include committee involvement options, business develop-ment, seminars, speakers, benefit plans, export document certifica-tion, fuel discount programs, a merchant discount program, mem-bership discount program, publications, membership roster, business education, mentorship program, and business referrals.
Products and services include property manage-ment and development, surety and insurance, ra-dio advertising, oil and gas production, molded fibre products - in-cluding egg flats, apple trays and specialty packaging - health, safety and environmental software programs.
Products and services include import-related services such as doc-umentary letters of credit, post-import finance, shipping guarantees, loans against imports, clean import loans, banker’s acceptance fi-nance, transferable and back-to-back letters of credit. Export-relat-ed services include export documentary credit, advising, confirma-tion, negotiation and payment, collections, pre-shipment finance, post-export finance, purchase/discount of collection bills, loans against export, banker’s acceptance finance, specialized services, Hexagon (electronic management), EDI solutions, trade solutions, international factoring, forfeiting, credit and risk insurance, without recourse export finance, forex and treasury services, and export re-ceivables finance.
HSSA (Herb, Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association)Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.hssa-sk.ca
Products and services include member net-working, annual member directory, public awareness, ongoing research of production, and market promotion of herbs and spices.
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Humboldt & District Chamber of CommerceHumboldt, Saskatchewanwww.humboldtchamber.ca
Products and services include network oppor-tunities, business promotion, promotion of the region, group benefits, website listing, and business support.
I.E.CanadaToronto, Ontariowww.iecanada.com
Products and services include current and in-depth information on international trade issues, newsletters, seminars and conferences, daily e-mails, collective representation in dealings with domestic and foreign governments, trade committees geared to specific industries, savings on ocean freight rates, and individual assistance from trade experts.
ICICI Bank CanadaToronto, Ontariowww.icicibank.ca
Products and services include a wide range of financial solutions to cater to personal, commercial, corporate, investment, trade and trea-sury requirements.
Products and services include promotional prod-ucts and corporate clothing.
Indo-Canadian Business Chamber (ICBC)Ahmedabad, Gujaratwww.icbc.org.in
Products and services include business matchmaking between Indi-an and Canadian companies, joint venture leads, technology trans-fer leads, tips on investing in Canada, hosting incoming trade and investment delegations, organizing outgoing trade and investment delegations, and organizing seminars, workshops and round tables on Indo Canada related topics.
Products and services include infrastructure to support research, de-velopment and commercialization in science and technology.
Invest TisdaleTisdale, Saskatchewanwww.tisdale.ca
Products and services include site selection, market analysis, demo-graphic data, turnkey services, recruitment assistance, investment partnering, liaison with other levels of government and immigration services. Invest Tisdale’s expertise in FDI, trade and export can help accelerate your business prospects in some of the world’s most ac-tive markets.
The Japan SocietyToronto, Ontariowww.japansocietycanada.com
Products and services include enabling Canadian and Japanese business executives, professionals, academic leaders and govern-ment representatives to meet on a regular basis to discuss matters of mutual and collective interest; furthering strong and viable economic
relations between Canada and Japan; enabling members to acquire greater cultural understanding and the ability to establish long lasting relationships; and supporting business, educational and cultural ex-changes.
Kintetsu World Express (Canada) Inc.Delta, British Columbiawww.kwe.ca
Products and services include air freight, sea freight, customs bro-kerage, surface logistics and distribution (3PL) services.
Kota Graphics & Design Inc.Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.kotagraphics.ca
Products and services include signage, trade show displays, graphic design, now logo and product design.
KPMG MSLPRegina, Saskatchewanwww.kpmg.ca
Products and services include full service audit and accounting, risk management, business advisory, tax and KPMG Enterprise.
Manitoulin Global ForwardingRegina, Saskatchewanwww.manitoulingroup.com
Products and services include international freight forwarding ser-vices for both imports and exports via air and ocean, full container loads and less than container loads, assistance with less than truck-load and truckload freight, over-dimensional, over-sized, specialized equipment, temperature controlled truck freight, global time critical solutions, customs brokerage, packaging and crating, and residential and commercial moving.
Products and services include full service legal solutions with exper-tise in labour and administrative law, immigration law, corporate and commercial practice, civil litigation and taxation.
Melfort & District Chamber of CommerceMelfort, Saskatchewanwww.melfortchamber.com
Products and services include advocacy, educational opportunities, special events, promotion, development and representation of members.
Services include full-service legal solutions with expertise in labour and employment law, administrative law, immigration law, technol-ogy and IP, corporate and commercial practice, civil litigation and taxation.
MNPRegina, Saskatchewanwww.mnp.ca
Products and services include assurance and accounting, consult-ing, tax, corporate finance, enterprise risk, insolvency, investigative
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and forensic services, succession, training solutions, valuations, business management, market intelligence, mergers and acquisi-tions.
Moose Jaw & District Chamber of CommerceMoose Jaw, Saskatchewanwww.mjchamber.com
Products and services include training and education, round tables, guest speakers, workshops, partnership with educa-tion, promotion and information, product display opportunity, busi-ness directory, community directory, focus on trade show, official city map, member referral, visitor information, merchant MasterCard, and national group insurance, including dental, life and medical.
National BankSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.nbc.ca
Products and services include supply chain financing, accounts re-ceivable and payable financing programs, trade finance, risk man-agement, advisory service, import-export services, documentary credits/collections and guarantees/standby, foreign exchange, deriv-ative products and hedging strategies.
North American Strategy for Competitiveness, Inc. (NASCO)Dallas, Texaswww.nasconetwork.com
Products and services include a powerful voice leading the effort to Think North American, to keep North America constantly on the minds of individuals, industry, government agencies, legislators and the media.
NSBASaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.nsbasask.com
Products and services include a business association and services for members.
Percy H. Davis Customs BrokersNorth Portal, Saskatchewanwww.percydavis.com
Products and services include customs brokers, customs clearance at all ports in Canada, international package express, and consulting services.
PowerlandRegina, Saskatchewanwww.powerland.ca
Products and services include a large application service provider (ASP).
Prairie Sky Chamber of CommerceWarman, Saskatchewanwww.warmanchamber.com
Products and services include educational events, networking op-portunities, and policy advocacy.
Prince Albert and District Chamber of CommercePrince Albert, Saskatchewanwww.princealbertchamber.com
Products and services include business intelligence, export document certification, committee and board
volunteer opportunities, business contacts, benefit plans through the Chamber Group Insurance Program, educational opportunities and seminars, education on the current business market, and business development.
Products and services include custom software development for web and mobile, for open source application stacks (including BSD/Linux, Apache, Postgres/MySQL, Python) and iPhone (iOS) and An-droid, high performance, secure managed hosting and colocation with geographical distribution, replication, and DDoS scrubbing, UNIX system and internet security consulting. Quadrant also pro-vides two SaaS suites: Smartsite MLM, a CASL-compliant high vol-ume email communciations service; and CAMS, an academic confer-ence abstract review and management service.
Products and services include risk man-agement services and trade credit insur-ance.
RBC Royal BankRegina, Saskatchewanwww.rbc.com
Products and services include executing all trade trans-actions, handling all letters of credit, guarantees and documentary collections, consulting on a variety of services to facilitate your in-ternational trade transactions, risk mitigation associated with foreign buyers, extend payment terms to clients, and local market informa-tion in foreign countries.
Regina & District Chamber of CommerceRegina, Saskatchewanwww.reginachamber.com
Products and services include group insurance, merchant services, advoca-cy, networking, promotion and much more.
Regina Airport Authority Inc.Regina, Saskatchewanwww.yqr.ca
Products and services include international airport passenger ser-vice, commercial land leasing, fixed based operations, cargo and related transportation services.
Regina Construction AssociationRegina, Saskatchewanwww.rcaonline.ca
Products and services include construction Information services, as well as policy development and lobby support between various lev-els of government.
Regina FastprintRegina, Saskatchewanfastprintregina.ca
Products and services include business cards, labels, calendars, car-bonless forms, door hangers, envelopes, flyers, index tabs, scratch pads, newsletters, postcards, presentation folders, product sheets, tent cards, manuals, invitations, catalogues, letterheads, business forms and wedding packages.
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Reile’s Transfer & DeliveryFargo, North Dakotawww.reiles.com
Products and services include warehousing, order fulfillment, trans-
portation, logistics, internet sales, FTZ, and rail transloading.
Ronco Freight International Inc.Oakville, Ontariowww.roncofreight.com
Products and services include a full range of logistics services, in-cluding ocean, air and ground transport along with customs broker-age, warehouse and distribution capabilities.
Products and services include graphic design and professional print-ing with guaranteed quality.
Saskatchewan Barley Development CommissionSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.saskbarleycommission.com
Products and services include the identification, development and support research, market develop-ment and extension initiatives that promote the production of barley and its uses in food, malt and feed.
Saskatchewan Canola Development CommissionSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.saskcanola.com
Products and services include re-search, producer engagement, advocacy and canola promotion that supports the production of canola and its products.
Saskatchewan Chamber of CommerceRegina, Saskatchewanwww.saskchamber.com
Products and services include an advocacy organization that rep-resents the interests of businesses to government and also provides networking opportunities for busi-nesses to connect with government officials and vice versa.
Products include art pur-chases, gifts, corporate gifts, private gallery tours, workshops, semi-nars and lectures, publications, and marketing opportunities.
Saskatchewan Economic Development Association (SEDA)Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.seda.sk.ca
Products and services include classroom based and online commu-nity and economic development training, various programs designed for communities, and annual conferences and networking events.
Saskatchewan Flax Development CommissionSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.saskflax.com
Products and services include the promotion and en-hancement of flax production and value-added pro-cessing of flax products.
Products and services include a co-operative to enhance the province’s forage and grassland industry, including production, harvesting, utilization and marketing, and an active role in priority setting and forage-related research initiatives.
Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association (SFGA)Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.saskfruit.com
Products and services include research, market orienta-tion, prairie-wide cooperation, premium quality products and industry representation.
Saskatchewan Industrial & Mining Suppliers Association Inc. (SIMSA)Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.simsa.ca/
Products and services include representing 160 members, more than $14 billion in annual revenues, and over 14,000 employees in Sas-katchewan.
Saskatchewan Interactive Media Association (SIMA)Regina, Saskatchewanwww.saskinteractive.com
Products and services include support for in-teractive producers, developers and designers.
Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association (SMPIA)Regina, Saskatchewanwww.smpia.sk.ca
Products and services include a voice in SMPIA through its board of directors, committees and annual general meetings, weekly news-letter (E-Buzzzz) and inclusion in the SMPIA Online Membership Di-rectory, including resume and headshot, access to events - including Showcase, SMPIA Annual General Meeting, volunteer recognition, various festivals, workshops, socials and more - discounts on SMPIA programs and events, voting rights at general meetings, seek nom-ination to SMPIA’s board and participation on SMPIA committees, access to professional development opportunities and services, and inclusion in the semi-annual Saskatchewan Production Guide.
Saskatchewan Ministry of Trade and Export DevelopmentRegina, Saskatchewanwww.gov.sk.ca
Products and services include creating opportunities and providing services that enable economic growth through trade, investment and export, it ensures the business and investment en-vironment is competitive, and develops strong Saskatchewan brand recognition.
Saskatchewan Oat Development CommissionRegina, Saskatchewanwww.poga.ca
Products and services include research, market development, policy work, building industry part-nerships and communications with oat growers, consumers and government.
Products and services include SPG program-ming divided into four major areas, including communications, re-search and development, market development, and variety commer-cialization, funded by the mandatory levy.
Saskatchewan Seed Potato Growers Association (SSPGA)Outlook, Saskatchewanwww.sspga.ca
Products and services include Northern Vigor™ seed potatoes.
Saskatchewan Wheat Development CommissionSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.saskwheat.ca/
Products and services include pro-viding leadership in identifying and supporting research, market de-velopment and advocacy that contributes to profitable and sustain-able wheat production for Saskatchewan farmers.
Saskatoon & Region Home Builders’ Association, Inc.Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.saskatoonhomebuilders.com
Products and services include an industry association for homebuilding and renovation.
Saskatoon Berry Council of Canada (SBCC)Moose Jaw, Saskatchewanwww.saskatoonberrycouncil.com
Products and services include the advancement and promotion of the saskatoon berry industry domes-tically and internationally.
Products and services include food and beverage, technical pro-duction services, equipment and electrical services, and everything needed for a successful event.
Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority Inc. (SREDA)Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.sreda.com
Products and services include the facilitation of growth and diversifi-cation of the Saskatoon Region economy.
SaskOrganics Association Inc.Regina, Saskatchewanwww.saskorganics.org
Products and services include support and assistance for certified organic farmers, processors, and consumers of certified organic products.
ScotiabankRegina, Saskatchewanwww.scotiabank.com
Products and services include international banking and trade ser-vices.
Products and services include niche marketing services to clients through advertising in publications, advertis-ing sales, desktop design, editorial service, photography, print liaison and distribution brokering.
Sunrun Trading Ltd.Regina, Saskatchewan
Products and services include flax seed, flax oil, and canola oil.
Swift Current Chamber of CommerceSwift Current, Saskatchewanwww.swiftcurrentchamber.ca
Products and services include professional services.
TD Bank Commercial BankingRegina, Saskatchewanwww.td.com
Products and services include the provision of credit, electronic cash management and investment management services, expert advice regarding letters of credit, export financing, documentary collections, as well as controlling risks associated with fluctuating foreign ex-change rates, for large, medium and small businesses.
Products and services include general and detailed facility design for agriculture and food processing, construction project management and consulting.
Products and services include an in-depth and holistic series of plan-ning sessions, training and execution rhythms designed specifical-ly for the key challenges growth companies face: people, strategy, execution and cash. These sessions are based on The Scaling Up Four Decisions system, a proven, integrated methodology of simple tools, used by 40,000 mid-sized companies worldwide, that gets to the root causes of stymied growth, profitability and freedom. Options include the full-year Growth Accelerator Program as well as two to three day sessions for annual planning, one to two day sessions for quarterly planning and a half day session to assess your leadership team and company. All services are tailored to meet client needs and readiness.
WESK - Women Entrepreneurs SaskatchewanSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.womenentrepreneurs.sk.ca
Products and services include a comprehensive and seamless support system for women in business by connecting like-minded individuals and offering relevant programs and services, business advising and support, a distinct financing program, and ex-pert learning and connecting opportunities.
Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD)Saskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.wd-deo.gc.ca
Products and services include capital services, Western Canada Business Service Network, business services, and alliances.
T
U
V
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22 GLOBALVENTURES | WINTER 2018
Western Litho PrintersRegina, Saskatchewanwww.westernlitho.ca
Products and services include a wide range of services in both print-ing and bindery, encompassing everything from complex four colour books to simple one colour letterhead.
Weyburn Chamber of CommerceWeyburn, Saskatchewanwww.weyburnchamber.com
Products and services include policy research, advocacy, education, and networking events.
Products and services include corporate financial planning, business coaching, group benefits consulting, group re-tirement services, personal financial planning, tax planning, estate planning, retirement planning, and insurance planning.
WMCZ LawyersSaskatoon, Saskatchewanwww.wmcz.com
Products and services include administrative law and human rights, business law, civil litiga-tion, criminal law, debtor/creditor/insolvency, environmental and wa-ter law, estate planning and wills, family law, government relations, immigration, insurance law, intellectual property, labour and employ-ment law, media and communications law, energy law, alternative dispute resolution.
Xports International Inc.Clearwater, Manitobawww.xportsinternational.ca
Products and services include importation of live cattle, semen and embryos, consulting services, including project management as well as educational seminars.
Yorkton Chamber of CommerceYorkton, Saskatchewanwww.yorktonchamber.com
Products and services include advocacy on be-half of members, engagement with city council to discuss issues and opportunities for the business community, and contact with the provincial and federal governments about their re-spective policies and the impact they have on Yorkton and area busi-nesses.
The Saskatchewan Lean Improvements in Manufacturing (SLIM) program provides funding assistance for value-added agri-businesses to adopt best practices, new processes and state-of-the-art technologies that will significantly improve their productivity and efficiency. SLIM funding supports applicants in two ways:
• An Efficiency Analysis: 50 per cent of the eligible cost, to a maximum payment of $20,000; and
• Infrastructure Projects: 50 per cent of the eligible expenditures to a maximum payment of $500,000 (including the amount provided for the Efficiency Analysis).
Pre-approval is required. All applicants must complete an Efficiency Analysis before applying for Infrastructure Projects.
For more information on funding under SLIM, contact the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture.
saskatchewan.ca/cap
Become more efficient. Upgrade your infrastructure.
WINTER 2018 | GLOBALVENTURES 23
STEP IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE that the recipient of the STEP 2018 Export Award is Vendasta Technologies, Inc. The award was presented at the annual general meeting on October 18.
STEP president and CEO Chris Dekker noted that the STEP Export Award is recognition of excellence by the export industry. He added that one in five jobs in Canada and as many as one in three jobs in Saskatchewan depend on exports.
“On behalf of Saskatchewan exporters, it is a privilege to showcase Vendasta’s success and international acumen,” Dekker said. “Vendasta is recognized around the world for their innovative and leading plat-form. The company also has a proven ability to provide digital solutions to the marketplace while securing a highly respected brand.”
Founded in 2008, Vendasta entered the local marketing industry in 2011 with a mandate to deliver market and advertising solutions to lo-
VENDASTA TECHNOLOGIES Receives 2018 Export AwardBY: JONATHAN HAMELIN
STEP members with noteworthy news are invited to share it through the Global Ventures BIZNotes section. For more details or to submit content/photos, please contact Heather Swan, Manager - Corporate Services at 306-787-7942 or [email protected].
STEPNOTES
Chris Dekker, President & CEO, STEP presents the 2018 Export Award to Jeff Tomlin, Chief Marketing Officer, Vendasta Technologies Inc.
24 GLOBALVENTURES | WINTER 2018
cal businesses. The Saskatoon-based company now leads a platform for companies who sell digital solutions to local businesses. The plat-form helps channel partners drive down their cost of sales while in-creasing margins through an award-winning, needs-assessment, auto-mated email marketing campaigns, a CRM, a marketplace of re-sellable applications/services, and a fulfillment agency. With more than 280 em-ployees, Vendasta’s products are sold by 1,200 companies and 19,000 salespeople.
Reviewed by a committee of Saskatchewan business leaders, Ven-dasta received top marks for its high level of performance in introduc-ing new products and services into international markets. Vendasta has significantly increased its export sales, maintained a high ratio of export sales to total sales, and has had a positive impact on the provincial economy through their job creation.
“The women and men who own or run companies that sell goods and services outside of our borders, like our five finalists, are the backbone of our economy,” Dekker said. “It follows that any award that recog-nizes excellence in exporting would be among our most important. It acknowledges and celebrates the innovation, courage and international business acumen that it takes to play and succeed on the international stage.”
Dekker added that in these turbulent days of fluctuating exchange rates, regional conflict, and growing and irrational protectionism, it is more important than ever to honour and empower businesses that have faced the risk, persevered through danger, and worked tirelessly for their export success.
Sponsored by Export Development Canada (EDC), the Export Award recognizes excellence and performance by STEP members in export markets. As Canada’s export credit agency, EDC helps Canadian com-panies of all sizes and sectors go, grow, and succeed in international business. EDC offers financing to exporters and their customers, con-nects Canadian businesses with suppliers and retailers in global mar-kets, and insures investments abroad against political risk.
Also recognized at this event were four additional STEP 2018 Export Award finalists:
CERES GLOBAL AG CORP. - NORTHGATECeres Global is an originator, handler, and supplier of raw materials, value-add-
ed products and supply chain services across the agricultural, energy and industrial market sectors from North America to quality-conscious customers globally. Their Northgate site is a state-of-the-art storage, handling and trans-loading industrial park on the border with North Da-kota, connected to the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.
NORTHERN LIGHTS FOODS - AIR RONGENorthern Lights Foods has marketed organic wild rice around the world for over 30 years. The compa-ny is a producer and processor of organic wild rice, bulk and retail packages with private labels available. The company is dedicated to the development of wild rice export to European Union markets with a base in Netherlands and offices in China and Utah. With a home base in La Ronge, the company works closely in assisting the economic development of northern Saskatchewan.
RADOUGA DISTILLERIES INC. - BLAINE LAKERadouga Distilleries opened its operation near Saskatoon in 2014 but their journey began years ago with an idea to bring unique, sensational taste and unmatched quality to the local liquor marketplace. They believe that enjoying sip-ping liqueurs and spirits involves all the senses while focusing on the quality of their product from the design of their bottles to the tantalizing smell and taste. With their handmade spirits and liqueurs, Radouga Dis-tilleries wants to help bring Saskatchewan into the spotlight.
STEP’s President & CEO, Chris Dekker, presents the 2018 Finalist Export Awards to: Jeremy Johnston, Facility Manager - Northgate, Ceres Global Ag Corp.
The STEP Export Award is recognition of excellence by the export industry. One in five jobs in Canada and as many as one in three jobs in Saskatchewan depend on exports.
Jean Poirier, Owner/CEO, Northern Lights Foods
Paul Ripen, CEO, Radouga Distilleries Inc.
WINTER 2018 | GLOBALVENTURES 25
Ceres Global
is pleased to be
a finalist for the
Export Award.
Special thanks
to all of our
customers, staff
and management
for helping us
to achieve this
success.
ceresglobalagcorp.com
At Northern Lights Foods we accepted with
humility the honour to be a finalist for the 2018
Export Award.
Thank you EDC and STEP. Your guidance
has inspired us to extend our market to
new countries.
Find out more by visiting
northernlightsfoods.com or phone
(306) 425-3434
THE SASKATOON COLOSTRUM CO. LTD. - SASKATOONSCCL is a privately held biosciences company that develops and produces innovative products from dairy cow colostrum. As Canada’s only and world leading collector and processor of colostrum, scientific methods have been applied to assure key immunological, metabolic and nutritional components found in colostrum are efficiently and effectively stabilized, standardised and assuredly delivered to achieve animals’ genetic po-tential.
STEP’s Board of Directors, Management and Staff wish you,
your employees and your families a safe and wonderful holiday season.
All the best in the New Year!
Michael Chubb, General Manager, The Saskatoon Colostrum Co. Ltd.
For more information on the 2018 STEP Export Award finalists, their products, services and capabilities, visit www.sasktrade.sk.ca.
26 GLOBALVENTURES | WINTER 2018
EARLY IN HIS CAREER, Jean-Guy LeBlanc realized that the leadership teams of many companies were in need of some guid-ance themselves.
While leading improvement projects at an advertising agency, LeB-lanc witnessed firsthand how difficult it can be to get a management team and its employees aligned around a common vision and how to get there, whether it involves company growth or delivering improved customer service.
LeBlanc travelled to England and was employed in the corporate banking sector. He later completed a business degree at the Univer-
sity of Toronto, specializing in strategy and organization design. After receiving his education and while working with financial institutions in Winnipeg and Saskatoon, he realized that conventional leadership practices could only take companies so far.
“While facilitating strategic planning, developing managers, advising on employee engagement and leading execution and change process-es with these companies, I found that it was difficult for CEOs and lead-ership teams to build or grow their companies because these various practices were confusing and disjointed,” LeBlanc said. “They were stressed out, and I was stressed out as well trying to help them.
ALIGNING LEADERSHIP TEAMS Wellspring Growth Systems helps companies grow through integrated planning sessions and simpler toolsBY: JONATHAN HAMELIN
Traditionally, companies will hold a strategic planning session for a couple days and it’s great for a while, but after a few months pass, people forget about it. It doesn’t really work because it’s not an ongoing, dynamic and organic approach to keeping everybody aligned.
- Jean-Guy LeBlanc, Wellspring Growth Systems
““
WINTER 2018 | GLOBALVENTURES 27
“For example, traditionally, companies will hold a strategic planning session for a couple days and it’s great for a while, but after a few months pass, people forget about it. It doesn’t really work because it’s not an ongoing, dy-namic and organic approach to keeping every-
one aligned. We need to be regularly rethinking and refining our strategy, goals and priorities as we move forward and as things evolve around us in the market. We need to do this as a leadership team, together, in lock step.”
LeBlanc decided to bring different strate-gic leadership tools together to create a more integrated and simpler approach. In 2011, he formed a company that is now known as Wellspring Growth Systems. He works with owners and CEOs of mid-sized companies of-fering a more integrated and simpler approach to help them get and keep their teams aligned to improve and grow their organizations and their lives.
“My clients are CEOs who are driven and ambitious,” LeBlanc said. “They’re very fo-cused on learning for themselves and with their leadership teams, so they’re always read-ing something or listening to audio books and learning to improve their business - but they struggle with actually implementing it.
“I think what I enjoy the most is seeing teams come together, getting on the same page and having clarity around what they’re looking to achieve and how they’re going to get there. Having them feel a sense of courage because they’ve had the tough conversations. Although they can’t have full confidence that what they’re doing is going to work, because they’re going to test it in the market, they’ll nevertheless have courage because they’ve turned over a lot of the rocks. And, as they work together and execute, quarter-over-quar-ter, they build their capability, reduce drama and improve cash flow.”
LeBlanc is a member of Gravitas Impact Premium Coaches, an international network of senior coaches and advisors. He’s certified in their Four Decisions growth methodology, a more integrated and simpler approach to planning and leadership used by 40,000 com-panies worldwide. It’s specifically designed for use by mid-market companies ranging from 25-500 employees and $5-100 million in rev-enue.
The strategy revolves around four key areas: people, strategy, execution and cash.
“We have a number of tools in each of those areas that I lead leadership teams through in these facilitated sessions,” LeBlanc said. “Usually, the process begins with a leadership team assessment that helps them get a better understanding of their strengths and needs for improvements in each of those four areas.
“They might decide to move forward with the recommendations themselves or they may want me to lead a two-day planning session, if they feel they can keep up the momentum afterwards. The usual approach that I use is a quarterly planning process, with a planning session at the start of the year to develop the initial strategy and then sessions on a quarter-ly basis to examine if they achieved what they hoped to, decide what they want to achieve in the next quarter, and how they’re going to make that happen. Usually, this results in an ongoing relationship with the client for multiple years.”
From 2005 to 2015, LeBlanc worked with a homebuilding company in Saskatoon. He helped the company clarify roles on the lead-ership team, assess the market and examine trends, clarify their strategy and set their goals and priorities for long term, mid-term and the first quarter. He continued meeting with them on a quarterly basis, helping them adjust course and plan for the next quarter. LeBlanc said this process helped the company grow revenues an average of 31 per cent per year until 2013, and then survive an economic downturn in Saskatoon.
“They were able to see the trends happen-ing, take advantage of the boom in a sustain-able way, and then see the downturn happen-ing before it started,” he said. “They tracked a number of factors in the organization and outside of it that allowed them to be proactive and then maintain their balance sheet, while many homebuilding companies in the Saska-toon market have not fared so well.”
Over the years, Wellspring Growth Sys-tems has grown through referrals and word of mouth. LeBlanc has primarily worked with companies in the Saskatoon area, but he said his Gravitas Impact certification is allowing him to expand to Regina and Winnipeg and develop relationships in those markets.
LeBlanc’s company has been a member of STEP since June, and he said this has allowed him to learn about some of the unique chal-lenges and opportunities of export companies.
“I have been able to learn what challeng-es they face in export markets, some of the intricacies there, risks to navigate and some of the solutions and options that are available to them to explore or go into those markets,” he said. “It allows me to refer my clients to people who can help them with those export markets.”
STEP Pre Market Membership Category Offers . . .
▪ Customized services designed for start up/near export ready Saskatchewan companies ▪ Services are tailored to enterprises who are not currently involved in export, are pre-commercialization, but have the
product or service offerings, resources, and commitment to initiate and pursue international markets ▪ Service offering is ideal for new to exporting enterprises who are aggressively seeking new business opportunities ▪ Suite of customized pre market membership services are available at reduced membership investment fees
STEP Pre Market Membership Category - Summary of Services
▪ Access to advice and guidance from STEP staff on markets and market development ▪ Access to STEP Market Studies and Exporting Guides ▪ Access to Pre Market Funding Program* ▪ Attendance at STEP Seminars, Trade Conferences, and Networking Events at member rates ▪ Corporate Profile in Sector Directories - STEP’s Global Ventures Magazine* ▪ Corporate Profile on STEP’s Corporate Website - Link to Members’ Site ▪ Customized Market Research Reports - Secondary Research - twenty-five (25) hours per year with an additional fee
for service option available thereafter ▪ Networking and business development opportunities ▪ Subscription to STEP’s Global Ventures Magazine* ▪ Discounted membership investment available for a one (1) year period ▪ Pre Market Membership Category is limited to new to STEP memberships
* Subject to availability.
Please visit www.sasktrade.sk.ca for additional Pre Market Membership Category service offerings, benefits, and information.
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IT’S AN ASSOCIATION made up of herbs and spice and a little wild rice… plus a whole lot more.
The Herb, Spice and Specialty Agriculture Association (HSSA), based out of Saskatoon, represents producers of herbs, spices, fruits, mushrooms, specialty agriculture, new crops, wildcrafted products and natural health prod-ucts from the field and forest to the shelf.
HSSA executive director Connie Kehler said HSSA truly encompasses the whole range of specialty agriculture from field and forest to shelf - a unique diversity of products that goes back to the association’s unique beginning.
“HSSA began with an unlikely union be-tween a spice grower/broker, a wildcrafter and a culinary herb grower/processor,” said Kehler. “It’s a very strange story, and we have no idea why that happened.”
HSSA membership covers all the bases. Its spice producers grow coriander, caraway, fenugreek, dill and anise. The types of herbs grown range from medicinal herbs (rhodiola, ginseng, dandelion) to culinary herbs (basil, rosemary, oregano, garlic).
The speciality agriculture moniker covers a wider spectrum, encompassing natural health
products grown and processed in Saskatch-ewan, including seabuckthorn, lavender, fire-weed and quinoa, and wild products collected and processed by members: wild rice, mush-rooms, chaga, labrador tea and a variety of berries and forest products.
It was admittedly a challenge for the associ-ation at first to pick a name that would reflect this diversity.
“We started out with just herb and spice in our name, but we represent so many areas like seabuckthorn and wild mushrooms that aren’t herbs and spices,” Kehler said. “These mem-bers didn’t like the name of the association for a long time because they felt it didn’t represent who we were. You can’t expect people to sup-port you as an industry association when your name doesn’t encompass everyone.”
Another unique aspect of HSSA is its man-date. Kehler said that HSSA doesn’t focus on marketing the products of its members because there have always been marketers within the group. She noted that HSSA instead exists to represent the common interests of the producers, from research and production to regulations, processing and manufacturing, practitioners and final product point of sale.
“Some members are a bit set back when they realize that we won’t market their prod-uct,” Kehler said. “But then they start to ap-preciate us when they begin having questions about managing this or that, and we’re able to find an answer for them using our connections. We have a library of information out there they would have no way of accessing.”
HSSA does focus on some promotional ef-forts. It puts up displays or speaks at events such as the Canadian Hemp Trade Asso-ciation, Crop Productions Week, Wild Rice Conference, Walk in Woods, the Canadian Hemp Trade Association Conferences, Or-ganic Connections and Conferences, Natural Health Product Research Society Conference, Canadian Saskatchewan Irrigation Diversifica-tion Centre Field Day and more. It also puts on business networking opportunities for mem-bers.
When it comes to research, HSSA hosts demonstration plots and makes numerous re-sources available for its members.
BY: JONATHAN HAMELIN
FROM FIELD AND FOREST
TO SHELF HSSA represents herbs, spices and specialty agriculture producers
FROM FIELD AND FOREST
TO SHELF HSSA represents herbs, spices and specialty agriculture producers
WINTER 2018 | GLOBALVENTURES 29
HSSA has also taken a lead role in adding value by developing voluntary tools for quality, traceability and safety. HSSA is one of over 20 national industry groups using the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Canadian On-Farm Food Safety Program (COFFS) as a base for its Quality Assurance audit-based programming.
HSSA has also developed and implement-ed voluntary hazard analysis and critical con-trol points-based upon On-Farm Food Safety Programs and Good Agriculture Practices (GACPs), with over 1,400 participants trained in Canada. HSSA works with the hemp indus-try as a sister association and encompasses hemp and cannabis along with all specialty agriculture crops under its GACP program.
“The goal of the GACP program is to use HACCP principles to not only enable a facility to provide protection from contamination, but to ensure that quality parameters are met, eth-ical oversight is in place, the product is trace-able, and that it meets buyer and regulatory requirements,” Kehler said.
“The capacity to grow, process and develop products is vast with the skills and tools honed in Canada - so buyers can be confident that contracts can be fulfilled with premium prod-ucts.”
Kehler said that HSSA has always been known for its ability to “play with others.” It has evolved into an integrated industry associ-ation with many partners across the world and throughout the value chain.
HSSA serves as the secretariat for the Ca-nadian Herb, Spice and Natural Health Prod-uct Coalition.
“We work together across the country as a national body with Saskatchewan being the incorporated body,” she said. “Any contracts
we take on outside Saskatchewan are done by HSSA, but it’s on behalf of the coalition.”
Kehler said that because HSSA works na-tionally, it gets to hear about the challenges numerous provinces face, which it is then able to bring back to Saskatchewan producers. It helps the province’s producers further navi-gate outside markets through its membership in STEP.
“We have benefitted from many of STEP’s programs that we have participated in, and we strongly recommend any of STEP’s programs to our members,” Kehler said. “We have taken many workshops over the years, and they’ve all been very useful. The people that we have guided to become members have come back to us and said it was the best suggestion we’ve ever made. STEP has been very sup-portive, and it’s helped guide our members, re-gardless of what their form of agriculture looks like. STEP does its homework to make sure it knows what it’s talking about.”
HSSA doesn’t focus on marketing its members’ products.
HSSA instead exists to represent the common interests of the producers, from research and production to regulations, processing and manufacturing, practitioners and final product point of sale.
FROM FIELD AND FOREST
TO SHELF HSSA represents herbs, spices and specialty agriculture producers
FROM FIELD AND FOREST
TO SHELF HSSA represents herbs, spices and specialty agriculture producers
Will Your Team Be Aligned for 2019?
Jean-Guy LeBlanc Scale-Up Coach
Strategic Growth Advisor
We lead strategic thinking AND execution planning sessions for ambitious CEOs and leadership teams of mid-market
companies, who want to scale up their company AND life.
I enjoy learning new things about the world, about our members, and the markets that they conduct business in. The membership is diverse, but that is what makes it interesting for me.
“
”BY: JONATHAN HAMELIN
AS A STEP Administrative Coordinator, Megan Reis has a lot of variety in the work she takes on.
Reis is one of the first people you meet when walking into the STEP office in Regina. She is proud of this role, which includes pro-viding the first impression in the STEP experi-ence for members and visitors.
The role that she has taken on in the organi-zation is truly diverse. On any given day, Reis could be answering emails or phone inquiries, greeting visitors or handling other adminis-trative tasks. In addition to the daily routines that keep STEP running smoothly, Reis is also very involved in assisting in the development of trade missions, international visits and plan-ning promotional events tied to STEP.
“It definitely doesn’t feel like an ordinary 9-to-5 office job. I enjoy getting to work on dif-ferent tasks, the variety in the duties, and the challenge of balancing it all,” she said. “This has been my favourite job out of all my work experience. I appreciate the support from my colleagues and really enjoy the people whom I work with.”
Relatively new to STEP, Reis has worked on a variety of projects in her new role. She notes that the projects include coordinating activi-ties with trade development staff, membership and marketing staff as well as the market in-telligence unit.
A growing part of STEP’s program of work includes the delivery of seminars, outreach, and education forums. Reis has quickly be-come a team player for many of these initia-tives, as she works and prepares for the major events that STEP is involved in.
When trade development staff attend out-going missions, she also assists in the devel-opment of mission briefing materials. Shortly after her arrival at STEP, she was able to take part in STEP’s Asia Trade Conference in Sas-katoon. The event served as a huge learning opportunity for her. The conference connected international buyers with Saskatchewan agri-food suppliers and allowed members involved in the agri-food sector to network and discuss the most emerging trends.
From events like the Asia Trade Conference to her involvement in activities surrounding Canada’s Farm Progress Show, Reis knows
that she has been able to expand her horizons. “Each event that I attend gives me a further appreciation for our membership base and what they are capable of,” she shared. Look-ing ahead, she welcomes the opportunity to learn more about the membership and to get better acquainted with the international guests who attend these events.
“I enjoy learning new things about the world, about our members, and the markets that they conduct business in,” she said. “The membership is diverse, but that is what makes it interesting for me.”
Reis has been working at STEP for eight months. She graduated from Saskatoon Busi-ness College in 2016 and previously worked in Saskatoon for the Catholic School Board and then for an insurance company.
She moved to Regina in August 2017 and was employed in a contract position by Con-centra before the job opportunity at STEP. Though Reis hadn’t heard a lot about STEP at the time, she embraced the opportunity.
When she’s not working, Reis is kept busy raising four children.
