Marie-Michèle Le Moine, Fruit d’Or’s retail division director and brand ambassador for Patience Fruit & Co. grew up on the farm and witnessed her parents make the switch to becoming the first grower of organic cranberries in Canada.ISTOCK.COM
The concept that “good things take time” inspired the name of Patience Fruit & Co., the fully organic product line of Fruit d’Or. Yet while the company takes pride in an unhurried cycle of growing, harvesting and processing of cranberries, its pace of innovation is far from relaxed, says Marie-Michèle Le Moine, Fruit d’Or’s retail division director and brand ambassador for Patience Fruit & Co.
“There is a lot of competition for the same fruit, market share and getting the attention of consumers; that’s why we put a lot of time and energy into innovation,” she says. “I work in a business unit that is fast-paced and hectic, while my parents are taking a longer view of the business, but we share the same values and a passion for organic cranberries.”
As a second-generation member of the family business, Ms. Le Moine grew up on the farm and witnessed her parents make the switch to becoming the first grower of organic cranberries in Canada more than two decades ago. “It’s fun to bring together different generations and different perspectives from a position of mutual respect,” she says.
Ms. Le Moine believes sharing a common vision – combined with the company’s heritage – provides a strong foundation for innovation and growth. Her passion for organic production comes from a deep appreciation of how it impacts the environment. Few things in nature are as stunning as cranberry fields during the harvest, she explains. Fields are flooded with water from the farm’s drainage basin, and then the plants are shaken gently so that the berries break loose and float on the surface, where they can be collected.
“Berries are allowed to fully ripen, and then they are dried gently, so they retain as much flavour and nutrition as possible,” says Ms. Le Moine. “Consumers are paying attention to health benefits and taste – but they are also constantly looking for new innovation.”
She explains that recent Fruit d’Or innovations addressed market opportunities created by people looking for healthy snacks on the go. “For that market, we created single-serve dried fruit options,” she says. “And now we are launching Chococrunch bites.”
The new product, which will be available for Organic Week, comes out of a collaboration with another family-owned Canadian business: a chocolatier, says Ms. Le Moine. It strikes a balance between “healthy and indulgent” by pairing crunchy dried cranberry flakes with chocolate.
“When we are collaborating, that allows us to grow stronger together,” she says. “It’s an ecosystem, where farmers, processors and consumers are all reaping the benefits.”
Advertising feature produced by Globe Content Studio. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.