We believe we have the most incredible lineup of vendors participating at the 2013 Expo. In fact, we’re so proud of them, we want everyone to know more about who they are and how their business fits in to the Expo’s passion for seeing Ottawa the healthiest city in Canada. We recently sent our vendors a list of four questions. Between now and the Expo, we will be highlighting some of these amazing vendors. Watch our blog every Tuesday & Saturday morning for another vendor spotlight.
Who Are You?
We are Styrian Gold from Alliston, ON. Arne Kluge and Ernestine Hormann.
We met in Styria in 2002. Love at first sight! Ernestine moved to Canada with me in 2004 where she brought several bottles of Austria’s finest PSO (Pumpkin Seed Oil) in her suitcase. She grew up with this oil, her family actually grew pumpkins and had the seeds pressed into the oil. Everyone (friends and family in Canada) who tried the oil was instantly amazed at the nutty aroma and dark green colour. When the oil ran out Ernestine went crazy looking for it here but could not find it. That’s when we got the idea of starting an import business here in Canada for the oil. In 2011 we finally decided to go for it. Now we have a small store in Alliston where we receive the oil and seeds in bulk. Then bottle the oil and package the seeds and sell to a growing number of Health Food and specialty stores in Ontario – a list of which is on our website: www.styriangold.ca We love doing shows and demos with the oil. Introducing it to new people and watching their faces light up and say “wow” when they try the oil is a great thrill for us.
How long have you been in business?
Styrian Gold has been in business since Feb 2012. At that time we had no experience with this type if business but we have now learned a lot. We now have over 40 stores (who carry our oil on their shelves) and several distributors.
What is your business all about?
Our mission is to bring to Canada the goodness of this wonderful, healthy, and a little bit magical pumpkin seed oil and seeds. We are the only company in Canada importing and bottling the oil here. The imported oil is cold pressed from shell-les, dark green pumpkin seeds that the Austrians have been growing and cultivating for over 150 years. Not only does the oil have a great taste but it is also very healthy, naturally packed with vitamins, antioxidants and important minerals. Our goal is to be represented in every province in Canada and eventually into the USA. Our goal for the Ottawa Expo is to introduce this oil to people in the area and use our best marketing approach “word of mouth” to ultimately attract at least one health food store in the Ottawa area.
The Expo focuses on four themes: be fit, eat right, think well, go green. Which of these does your business incorporate?
Obviously our products fit into the “eat right” theme. We have many verbal and a few written testimonials about the taste and the health benefits. Also a growing list of recipes using Styrian Pumpkin seed oil.
Our moto is: “Delightful, Delicious & Naturally Nutritious”