The organic food industry:
When La Fourmi Bionique was first launched in 2004, its cereals were entirely organic, but were in fact produced by another food company. Unfortunately, it was not possible to certify La Fourmi Bionique’s products, since the other company did not meet strict organic certification requirements and was unwilling to change its infrastructure and procedures to accommodate La Fourmi Bionique. As well, given that the organic movement was still in its infancy, prices for such products were much higher than what most consumers were prepared to pay. Given these circumstances, a new strategy was called for.
La Fourmi Bionique thus proceeded to acquire its own production site, which allowed it to seek proper certification. Faced with the higher cost of certified organic ingredients, the company had to choose between producing granola blends that were entirely organic or those that were partially so but consisted of locally-sourced and high-quality ingredients. The company thus opted to use ingredients that are:
-Locally-produced;
-Environmentally-friendly;
-Organic;
-Free of sulphites (used as preservatives in dried fruits), pesticides and genetically-modified organisms (GMOs);
-Non-irradiated.
Certification:
The certification process is difficult and requires constant and exhaustive monitoring. Each year all facets of production (waste-management, equipment, transport, hygiene, etc.) come under close scrutiny, which calls for substantial preparation beforehand. In addition, transparency is essential and any aspects that are not in compliance must be swiftly addressed. Maintaining up-to-date records, which is necessary for monitoring production, is very demanding and affects productivity, since employees involved in ensuring compliance are temporarily prevented from doing their work.
Supplies:
At the time of La Fourmi Bionique’s inception, the organic food movement was still rather avant-garde, and appropriate suppliers were relatively rare. Today, however, the number of players in the organic industry is growing, and more options in terms of supplies are therefore becoming available. Despite this, the company remains very selective in its choice of ingredients, such as the oats and flour that serve as the basis for its cereal products. Nonetheless, some suppliers now see the growth potential in the organic market and are consequently increasing production.
One of the challenges involved in producing organic food is that it remains difficult to obtain supplies and ensure the quality and freshness of certain ingredients. The recipes for some of La Fourmi Bionique’s products have had to be modified; for example, it had to stop using walnuts because their freshness could not be guaranteed. Although the company would certainly like to expand distribution, it is currently struggling just to meet demand in Québec, which is another challenge for a small company such as La Fourmi Bionique.
Given the difficulty and rigour of the Ecocert Canada certification process, it is important for the company to maintain efficient and transparent communication with its suppliers, which is no mean feat: it often takes time, and is sometimes impossible, to obtain the information required to ensure compliance with organic certification criteria. It is therefore necessary to negotiate and issue repeated requests for information, which can sometimes delay production.
In 2008, La Fourmi Bionique lost its maple syrup supplier and had to scramble to find a replacement. The maple syrup market is somewhat unstable and essentially depends on weather conditions. A similar problem exists with honey; the drop in the number of bees across North America in recent years has affected apicultural production. For each ingredient, therefore, the company must maintain business ties with numerous suppliers in order to avoid potential shortages.
