You need the ability actually to get onto the shelf itself then.
Evidence of meeting #15 for International Trade in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ceta.
Evidence of meeting #15 for International Trade in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ceta.
4 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
You need the ability actually to get onto the shelf itself then.
4 p.m.
Conservative
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
I hear that in the meat sector quite often.
Mr. Chair, I'm going to call it quits there.
4 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Merrifield
I'm going to pick it up before we get into the last questioners and just ask you both this question that's gnawing at me.
You've both won awards for excellence in your respective areas. You seem rather young and you're competing with Europeans and people who have been in the industry for generations, for centuries. How did you get so good at it? Is it secret recipes that have come down over the ages? What's your secret to success on that side of it?
4:05 p.m.
President, Farm House Natural Cheeses
It's hard work. It's a lot of work and focus, and I think just a passion. You have to be entrepreneurial. One of my daughters married someone from Slovakia. He's a lovely fellow. She arranged his immigration to Canada. He was here for six months, and we had an opportunity for them to help expand the business. It would be an absolute perfect thing for them to grow into. He's not an entrepreneur. He could not do it. I don't know why personally but I have ideas. The idea is you have to have that pioneer spirit, someone who wants to go out and meet the challenges. You meet the challenges every day. In farming, agriculture and food production, there's a new challenge every day and you have to be up for the challenge.
4:05 p.m.
President, Freybe Gourmet Foods
I have the advantage of coming from a German family, so everything is quite regimented in terms of performance, recipes, and such. Our family started in 1844. We came in 1954 to B.C., and we will be 60 years this year in this province. At the end of the day on our side, obviously passion is absolutely the word, but likewise, we've always been prepared to take less in terms of profitability in order to produce what we think is a better product.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
Thank you to both witnesses for being here this afternoon.
Ms. Amrein-Boyes, I have a question for you. Will you be exporting any cheese to Europe?
4:05 p.m.
President, Farm House Natural Cheeses
I mentioned before that we're just at the point of transitioning into the next generation with one of our daughters. We want them to be able to have a successful business and carry on for the next generation as well and keep those people on the farm. We will explore that, yes.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
Mr. Freybe, you talked about most of your products being German based and you manufacture them here. Are you looking at expanding your market of the products you manufacture here into Europe, or are you looking at bringing European products here for export maybe to the United States?
4:05 p.m.
President, Freybe Gourmet Foods
We're looking more at the latter. I think that's the greater opportunity for us.
The only thing I would foresee is we have a great opportunity within snack foods. Snack foods in North America are much more significant than in Europe. If there are traditional items for here that we might be able to provide there, that would be of some interest.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
Mr. Hoback had a question for you in regard to lowering costs if you purchase your machinery from the EU. What is the current tariff that you pay on your machines that you purchase in the EU?
4:05 p.m.
President, Freybe Gourmet Foods
I'm not familiar with any current tariff that we would be paying in our category. It might be buried in the cost. It's certainly not highlighted.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
It could be that we don't have any tariffs on those products right now.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
How many jobs do you anticipate creating with this new agreement, Ms. Amrein-Boyes?
4:05 p.m.
President, Farm House Natural Cheeses
As I mentioned before, we're not in a position to be actively focusing our attention on export into the European market at this time. We believe that increased awareness of fine cheeses in Canada will increase sales and therefore increase production at our level. Therefore, we will add to our production staff and our facility as required. Hopefully that will keep growing.
We began by growing every year 30% a year and then another 15%. Even in the downturn in 2008, our company still grew. There's a growing demand for quality food. That's our mantra, if you will: quality first. If we make a cheese and there's something wrong with it, it doesn't go into the marketplace, because we want our name to stay associated with highest quality.
4:10 p.m.
NDP
4:10 p.m.
President, Freybe Gourmet Foods
Likewise, being that we're not anticipating selling into the marketplace for the foreseeable future, we do not anticipate creating any jobs at this time. However, as I mentioned, within the Canadian meat industry we expect an increase of over $1 billion in revenue, and within that and especially on the meat-producing side, we anticipate there to be—