Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
A lot of research, some key alliances and a little of bit of vision … that is what it took Drake’s Curtis and Audrey Eby to get their bison pemmican product to market. They are now just starting to reap the rewards.
“We got into bison ranching in 1991 after quite a few years milking cows,” explains Curtis Eby. “We had a 75 year-old milking operation with 24 cows. We realized that the cost to make the transition to a modern setup was prohibitive.
“At the time, the bison industry was expanding until markets crashed in 2000, and the BSE crisis came in 2003. We stuck with the bison and looked for ways to add value to our bison product. I guess the bison had captured our imagination.”
Today, the Eby family runs 250 bison head over 12 quarters. They came up with the pemmican product in 2001.
“We liked the idea of using products native to Saskatchewan. We explored the idea of incorporating saskatoon berries. We mix in 20 per cent saskatoons with 80 per cent bison meat.
“Our product is similar to chopped-and-formed beef jerky in terms of the production process. We understand that traditional pemmican is about 50 per cent fat. First Nations people would smash and grind the dried bison meat and berries to a powder and add the fat rendered by heating. Our version has two grams of fat per 45 gram package.”
The Manitou Springs Bison Ranch asked the Saskatchewan Food Development Centre in Saskatoon for help.
“We would never be where we are now without them,” admits Curtis Eby. “It’s a whole new area for a guy who has farmed all his life. My wife Audrey designed the label. We had to start thinking in terms of meat storage, boxes, packages, and getting label approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.”
Eby explains that marketing became the biggest challenge: matching production with the actual demand.
“We have an arrangement with Kitsaki Meats in La Ronge, which makes the product to our specifications. We now sell approximately 2,000 packages per month, primarily through Mountain Equipment Co-op and Riverbend Plantation out of Saskatoon. Riverbend Plantation also supplies us with saskatoon berries and storage space.”
For the last 12 months, these two marketing channels have sold over 90 per cent of the Eby’s entire production. What is the next step for them?
“We want to stick with the value chain we have established and work on developing our market volumes over the next year or two, primarily in Canada. At the moment, we will concentrate on the relatively small 45 gram vacuum-packed portions—keep in mind that this is a concentrated food product. It is more filling than it seems when you just look at the package.”
Curtis and Audrey Eby know they are on to something. They will take it all in stride, ensuring that they keep delivering a quality product that showcases Saskatchewan agriculture in the best possible light.
For more information, contact:
Curtis Eby
Manitou Springs Bison Ranch
Drake, Saskatchewan
(306) 363-4923
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