Adding value to the mustard capital

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

Proponents of a new mustard mill in Gravelbourg are hoping to build on Saskatchewan’s title as mustard capital of the world.

The province is the world’s second-largest producer of mustard, and the largest exporter. The majority of the crop is processed elsewhere.

That will start to change when commercial production begins at Mustard Capital Inc.’s dry milling facility in Gravelbourg later this month.

“We’ve got a unique and innovative mill that we are just finalizing and getting ready for production,” said Mustard Capital Inc. (MCI) CEO Tom Halpenny. “Our mill will use all three types of mustard – yellow, brown and oriental – and it will produce a wide range of products, including blends of the three varieties.”

Dry milling is the process of fractioning mustard seed into its three components – bran, flour and oil.

MCI is one of only two dry mustard millers in Canada, but holds one key advantage over the other dry mill in Hamilton, Ontario: MCI’s plant is smack dab in the middle of the globe’s leading mustard producer.

“That’s an advantage, absolutely,” Halpenny said. “Being physically close to the producer is important. We want to work closely with farmers to develop that supply chain all the way to the end users.”

Canadian mustard production didn’t start until the 1930s, and didn’t really begin in Saskatchewan until the 1950s. However, today the province grows 90 per cent of Canadian production and nearly half the world’s production.

Unfortunately, Saskatchewan’s mustard processing has not enjoyed the same level of dominance.

“Well, it does take some expertise before you can have the confidence to enter the marketplace. Because it’s an oilseed, milling mustard is not really a simple process,” Halpenny said.

“MCI is fortunate to have someone working with us who has multiple years in the mustard industry, so that’s one of the things that gave us the confidence to proceed and enter the marketplace.”

The plant has the potential to process 15,000 tonnes per year, but Halpenny says production levels will be increased based on the market.

“We are looking to have an overall production volume that will be scaleable, depending on the market demand more than anything, but there are other factors like the number of the shifts that we will be operating,” he stated.

Halpenny says the most obvious use for mustard is the food industry, which is where MCI will be focusing most of its attention for the time being.

“Mustard is the most heavily traded spice in the world, and mustard products are used in many of the foods you will find in your fridge besides the jar of yellow stuff,” he said. “Mayonnaise, ketchup and barbeque sauces will use it. It’s often used in the meat industry as a binder for things like hot dogs and other prepared meats.”

But Halpenny is quick to add that there are a number of emerging markets for mustard beyond the dinner table, including bio-pesticides and biodiesel.

“It has a very wide application, and we think we can expand on that potential with some of our products that incorporate non-traditional uses for mustard,” he said.

“We think there are a lot of opportunities beyond the food industry.”

For more information, contact:
Tom Halpenny, Chief Executive Officer
Mustard Capital Inc.
Telephone: (306) 648-2799
Website: www.mustardcapital.com