To enhance business and market development in the food industry, the Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology, today announced over $74,600 through the Business Development Support Program for two local businesses.
Founded in 1953 by Gordon Goulding of Gambo as a family bakery, Gouldings’ Wholesale Limited has since acquired West Tower Bakery and Chatman’s Bakery, and has expanded to include wholesale distribution of soft drinks and confectionary items. Gouldings’ has undertaken a new project that involves updating nutritional labels on its bakery products, launching a fundraising marketing campaign and other development initiatives with partnerships across Atlantic Canada. To support their planned expansion in local and export markets, the company is receiving non-repayable funding of $49,750 from the Provincial Government.
Java Jack’s Restaurant was started as a café in the Gros Morne region in 2000. After a transfer in ownership to couple Colleen and Leslie Hiscock, Java Jack’s umbrella company – JJ’s Café Inc. – successfully added a bed and breakfast, as well as retail products prepared using local food ingredients to the business mix. To support upgrades to their online store and travel to trade shows to showcase the Jack’s Gourmet Fine Foods retail products, along with other marketing initiatives necessary for business growth, the company is receiving non-repayable funding of $24,931 from the Provincial Government.
Through the Business Development Support Program, the Provincial Government supports small and medium-sized businesses that are committed to developing and growing their operations through improved operational productivity, trade opportunities and market development.
Quotes
“These companies are well-positioned to compete in national markets through their expertise and exclusivity, and will certainly drive considerable economic development in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Gouldings’ has proven expertise in the bakery business, is a well-established name, and is a mentor to several bakeries in the industry. JJ’s adds a unique touch to their retail products by using fresh local ingredients and has several industry accolades under their belt.”
Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC
Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology
“With the added costs that have been incurred in the past few years with the pandemic and the constant price increases over the past year since the war in Ukraine, this support from the Provincial Government helps us keep up with the increasing regulations in the food industry during struggling times. Some necessary upgrades to regulatory guidelines would have been difficult to achieve without this welcomed contribution to the growth and development of our bakeries.”
Roxanne Weinheber
Gouldings’ Wholesale Limited
“The funding we are receiving from the Provincial Government is a significant support towards being able to expand our retail Java Jack’s Gourmet Fine Foods product lines to other parts of Canada. We are very grateful for this support at this time, especially with the current cost and inflationary pressures.”
Colleen Hiscock
JJ’s Café Inc.
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Business Development Support Program
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