Brassica Mustard
story by Anne Beaty, photo by Kristy Reimer
The owners of
Brassica Mustard, which recently opened shop in Airdrie, have spent more than a
dozen years creating and perfecting their products – drawing on their global
travel experiences, experimenting in the family kitchen and seeking out local
producers for their ingredients. Even the name, Brassica, is indicative of
their dedication to their culinary craft. “It’s the botanical name for ground
mustard seed,” Davis says.
And why mustard? “It’s a real staple in the professional kitchen,” says Johnston, a professional chef who is currently at SAIT in the culinary program. As well, mustard is cross-cultural, running the gamut from Indian to classical French. “It sort of fits everywhere,” he says, adding that whereas “ketchup is ketchup is ketchup,” there’s an incredible variety when it comes to mustard, along with a wide array of uses. One friend of the couple’s puts Brassica Cranberry Honey Mustard on toast in the morning and Johnston has even used that flavour mustard to make ice cream.
The first step involved taking their products to the Redwood Meadows Christmas market. Apparently the public was as impressed as family and friends – they sold out in the first day. “We’ve had tremendous success,” Johnston says.
With that first hurdle behind them, the two began to design packaging and look seriously at a business plan, one which would allow them to focus on their No. 1 priority – staying home with their family. “We developed the business for the kids, so we can be with the kids,” Davis says.
When they began to look at expanding, Calgary-based Johnston and Davis did their research before deciding on a place to ply their trade. They had friends in Sharp Hills who introduced them to Airdrie and, after considering both cost and convenience, they made the decision a couple of years ago to purchase property in Kingsview Industrial Park. “For us, it was a no-brainer,” Johnston says. “It’s actually easier for us to work in Airdrie than it is for us to get down to the Foothills Industrial Park (in Calgary).”
The warm welcome and personal interest shown by the City of Airdrie was also a factor. “Working with the City out here was a real pleasure,” Johnston says, adding that they also took into consideration the ability to expand in future years and an opportunity to develop a relationship with the City.
After receiving certification from the City in February 2010, they began to settle in to their new digs. The Brassica facility, which is warehouse in the back and kitchen in the front, is for more than just production of their own product, though. They also hope to be able to offer their kitchen for rent to other small food-producing businesses which don’t have easy access to an inspected kitchen. “A lot of small producers like us don’t have anything like this,” Johnston says, adding that these producers often have to turn to friends with restaurants.
The business may be relatively small at this point, but Davis and Johnston are content to take “baby steps” and continue growing at a slow pace. Along with selling through local markets and businesses, they have worked up into the commercial market, as well. “We’ve always had positive growth,” Johnston says.
Perhaps the best indicator of mustard’s popularity is that Brassica customers come from various demographics, from wealthy foodies to blue-collar workers. “Mustard is the everyman’s food,” Johnston says.
Their product’s appeal is also no doubt a result of its local and regional ingredients. For example, the mustard comes from the Warner, Alta., area; the honey comes from a honey co-operative in Three Hills.
Kitchen experimentation is ongoing and the couple is always on the lookout for different flavours to add to the current roster of cranberry honey, dill, horseradish and roasted garlic – flavours chosen because they are easily recognizable and familiar to buyers. “We wanted to choose things that were fairly ‘prairie,’” Johnston says.
Try a new salad tonight with Brassica Mustard's Cranberry Honey Salad Dressing
