(Saint-Damase) Known for its granola and its bars, Oatbox is launching the production of an oat drink base, an essential ingredient that will allow it to market its own drink. A first in Quebec.
“Oats have already overtaken soybeans in terms of popularity”, launched Marc-Antoine Bovet, founder of Oatbox, during a visit to the factory, currently under renovation, where the base will be produced. and the company’s oat drink. The facilities, located in Saint-Damase, near Saint-Hyacinthe, will be ready at the end of January. The oat drinks signed Oatbox will arrive in supermarkets in March, in a barista version to put in coffee and also in an original formula. Total cost of the project: nearly 10 million dollars. Desjardins Group, the Quebec government and Canada Economic Development are among the financial partners.
The company founded in 2014 will be the first in Quebec to manufacture the famous base, an essential ingredient in the production of an oat drink. It can also be used to prepare vegan yogurts, ice creams and cheeses. The oats delivered directly to the plant will mainly come from Western Canada and possibly from Quebec. Regions such as Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and Témiscamingue would be conducive to growing wheat. The popular drink will leave Saint-Damase in tank trucks and be packaged by another company. Impossible for the moment to know the production capacity of the factory. Oatbox is content to speak of “several million liters”.
Shortage
The managers of Oatbox decided to embark on the adventure when they noticed, after having multiplied the steps to find a manufacturer capable of providing them with a base allowing them to then produce their oat drink, that it was difficult to get your hands on the famous ingredient. Marc-Antoine Bovet literally speaks of a “shortage”.
“No one was able to supply us,” says Mr. Bovet in the middle of a large room where the tanks used for production had been installed. The companies that make them — mostly in the United States and even Europe — keep their products to themselves. »
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
From left to right: David Lévesque Gendron, Chief Financial Officer of Oatbox, Andres Vega, Chief Operating Officer, and Marc-Antoine Bovet, Company Founder
By manufacturing an oat base for the first time in Quebec, Oatbox also intends to supply other companies in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States that use the ingredient to prepare their products. , especially dairy-free yogurt.
“We solve the problem of many people, it is not necessary that each company which wants to develop oat products builds itself a factory, underlines Marc-Antoine Bovet. We want to make oats more popular. Both food processors and consumers will benefit from a fresher product, since it is processed locally and transported over shorter distances. »
Oatbox got its start in 2014 selling oatmeal and granola online. The company then made the leap into supermarkets. The basic production of oats will enable him to expand a whole range of products.
“This new plant will allow the company to achieve two important objectives for our government: to innovate through product development and to increase our exports. The market for oat-based products is growing, and Oatbox stands out there,” said Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, in a press release published by the company on Monday.