Innovation Guelph – Building a better superfood
By Stacey Curry Gunn. Published by Innovation Guelph on November 22, 2016.
The call to entrepreneurship comes in many forms: in the case of Katan Kitchens founder Jamie Draves, it was his struggle to overcome failing health from pancreatitis that led him to quinoa’s nutritional benefits and ultimately sparked the launch of his Ontario-grown Quinta Quinoa superfood.
In just a few short years, Katan Kitchens has emerged as a leader in the research and development of quinoa, a nutrient-rich grain crop native to South America. Founded in 2011, the company has developed and refined a non-GMO quinoa variety that is suited to Ontario soils, growing conditions and farming practices. It’s the first commercial variety to be produced in the province and is two to four times higher in protein, iron, magnesium, fiber, zinc and calcium than the native South American variety.
The company’s journey has included successful appearances on the CBC television show Dragon’s Den, where Draves secured a $200,000 deal with chef/author/restaurateur Vikram Vij. The company has acquired the pertinent funding, advanced plans for a new processing facility, brought its first commercial products to market, and ramped up production with growers in Ontario, Alberta, Quebec and Manitoba. Katan Kitchens is continuing to partner with University of Guelph researchers to naturally breed 60 new strains of quinoa and study opportunities to improve nutritional content and crop yield.
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