“I was born and raised in the area and started operating a farm here with my brother. We produce mainly corn, soy, wheat, and spelt. Everything but the corn was grown for human consumption, but with the high-quality corn we were producing, we had difficulty gaining value in the animal market,” explains Sylvain Raynault, Co-Owner, Calico Mill Inc. “Our vision was to increase the value of our high-quality, organic corn by processing it into a variety of products suited for human consumption.”
They started by setting up complimentary facilities right next to the farm, including a grain center that would directly supply the mill, and established systems to take organic cornmeal and organic corn flour to a larger market with their combined knowledge of farming and agriculture. However, when it came to milling equipment, they were completely in the dark.
General Manager Alexandre McGrath realized Calico Mill needed an industry expert. “We knew we were starting from scratch, and we knew we would need help figuring out what equipment to get,” McGrath explains. “We quickly realized there was so much to know, and we couldn’t just go and buy equipment. We really needed to partner with experienced people as well.”