In Pictures: Vancouver Island Salt takes home top prize
Vancouver Island Salt has beat out more than 1,000 entries to win first place and a $100,000 cash prize in the Small Business Challenge contest, sponsored by Telus and The Globe and Mail.
Since launching four years ago, Vancouver Island Salt Co. has enjoyed growing demand for its products, which include fleur de sel and flavour-infused salts sourced from ocean waters around Vancouver Island.Amanda Palmer/The Globe and Mail
To expand its market Vancouver Island Salt needs to boost production, but the company’s owners, Andrew Shepherd and Scott Gibson, say they can’t afford the extra staff and equipment they need to make more salt.Amanda Palmer/The Globe and Mail
Vancouver Island Salt has beat out more than 1,000 entries to win first place and a $100,000 cash prize in the Small Business Challenge contest, sponsored by Telus and The Globe and Mail.Amanda Palmer/The Globe and Mail
“We are ready to take our product to the world,” says Mr. Shepherd, who founded Vancouver Island Salt after years of working as a chef in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. “With this money, we’re going to achieve our dreams six to eight months from now.”Amanda Palmer/The Globe and Mail
The company was among four contestants who made it to the semi-final round, which included a live pitch in Toronto to a panel of seven judges.Amanda Palmer/The Globe and Mail
To drive their dream of expanding into new markets in Canada and beyond, Mr. Shepherd and Mr. Gibson will use their windfall to hire a second full-time employee and a couple of part-timers.Amanda Palmer/The Globe and Mail
“We’re also going to fine tune our equipment and put some money into marketing our product for international sales,” says Mr. Shepherd, noting that the company already has a Hong Kong distributor eager to take Vancouver Island Salt to Asia. “We think the Vancouver Island Salt brand, being associated with B.C. and with Canada, has real appeal with overseas customers, particularly in Asia.”Amanda Palmer/The Globe and Mail