Restaurants are popping up all over the place. But to succeed, you need to put healthy on the menu

There’s no doubt about it: Food is fashionable. Fed by a growing public interest in nutrition and eco-gastronomy, today’s cuisine represents a new cultural focus and a great business opportunity. “What I love about the current trend is that it’s making food a central element in our lives again,” says Stephen Goddard, a co-owner of Pomodori Pizzeria, which opened three years ago in Rothesay, N.B., and which is poised to grow through a franchising network. “The celebration of food has been growing for the past four or five years, and every year it gets stronger.”

Billed as “fast-casual dining,” Pomodori offers artisan pizzas and gelato made from unprocessed natural ingredients and, when available, local and family-farmed ingredients. They are free of added hormones and part of a system that respects each contributor to the supply chain. “A lot of ingredients can be local; they are fresher, riper, and more flavourful,” says Goddard. “But everyone’s busy, so we decided to take pizza back to its 2,000-year-old roots as a dish that’s delicious, healthy, and convenient. We aim to take only six to nine minutes from the time a diner orders to the time the pizza reaches the table.”    

As a small business model, ethical dining and speed blend well. The company recently closed a small round of private equity investing that Goddard said creates “a good runway for 2012.” Plans include opening a Halifax eatery and attending franchising shows with the aim of expanding the brand through a network. “We’re interested in finding like-minded people to get Pomodori into every community we can,” says Goddard.  

Expansion is also a priority for Brent Larsen, the president of Steep Hill Solutions, a Nova Scotia-based company that aims to make flax an everyday tabletop condiment like ketchup. It might sound like an improbable ambition, but the five-year-old business is pursuing sales of its Omega Crunch products in Ontario and the West Coast after enjoying Atlantic Canadian success with its garlic and maple-flavoured flax sprinkles. 

Speaking from Vancouver, Larsen says he’s aiming for annual growth of at least 25%. He recently filmed a segment for the popular CBC-TV show Dragons’ Den. The episode hadn’t aired as of press time so Larsen couldn’t divulge any details, but he will say he’s looking forward to increased consumer attention. “Our company’s success is based on providing families with great-tasting, healthy, and easy-to-use products,” he says. “Omega Crunch is healthy and tastes great—it doesn’t have to be one or the other.”

Healthful properties found in Omega Crunch include omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fibre, lignans, and protein. The company has enjoyed great local support and partnerships from the start; an early relationship with Acadia University developed the prized garlic flavour. 

The sprinkles are sold in many local venues such as Sobeys, Pete’s Frootique, and Planet Organic, plus they sit on tabletops in several Halifax-area restaurants, including Tom’s Restaurant, the Ardmore Tea Room, and Pete’s Frootique’s salad bar. With website orders increasing at a rate of well over 50% year over year, Larsen’s next plan is to continue its national expansion. 

Omega Crunch flax is grown in Manitoba, and the products are made in New Minas, N.S. “We have to invest in increasing our production capacity, but we still have room to grow,” says Larsen. Recent increases in the cost of ingredients can impact the company’s bottom line, but Larsen hasn’t raised prices in two years. “We may have to raise them at some point,” he says, “but first we want to find ways to trim, like negotiating with suppliers.”  

While Goddard admits that raising equity in the lacklustre environment of the last few years has been challenging, Pomodori was happy to reach the finish line with its recent group of investors. “But that doesn’t mean we’re not searching for more,” he says. “Every small business is always looking for investors.”