There’s something nostalgic about a warm bowl of oatmeal. Thanks to a group of forward-thinking prairie farmers, it’s a meal that can now be savoured by people living with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities.
Only Oats is a product of Avena Foods, a Regina-based company formed by a group of farmers in 2008 with a vision of producing nutritious, gluten-free foods.
“There was an unmet need in the marketplace for a gluten-free oatmeal,” said CEO Rob Stephen. “The company was way ahead of its time—before gluten-free foods became really popular and before there were a lot of offerings in the marketplace.”
With inspiration from a consulting dietitian and founding CEO, both of whom had celiac disease, Avena (which is Latin for oats) decided to fill this niche by setting up a dedicated gluten-free milling facility.
Protecting a naturally gluten-free product
Celiac disease affects about one per cent of the North American population. Although there’s no cure, most people living with it can manage their symptoms by following a strict gluten-free diet.
Even though oats don’t contain gluten, the product can be easily contaminated. “That’s because of field rotations, what’s on neighbouring farms or because of cross contamination throughout the supply chain,” said Stephen.
Avena protects their oats from seed to store shelves. “You start with a seed that’s uncontaminated, you establish gluten-free crop rotations, protect the fields, protect the transportation equipment, and make sure you run it through a gluten-free plant,” said Stephen.
Local products for local consumers
Every ingredient is sourced from growers in Western Canada.
“We’ve got about 50 growers in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and typically, they’re with us for the long-term,” said Stephen. “We’ve always been prairie-based. Prairie-based means we’re able to leverage both the geographic location and the relationship we have with farmers and be very connected with where the oats are coming from.”
Stephen says many of Avena’s farmers enjoy Only Oats for breakfast and they’re proud to be growing a nutritious crop that meets the needs of people with gluten-free diets, people such as Stephen’s own mother.
“There’s a personal pride that goes into knowing where your food came from, and knowing how much work and discipline went into making a great product.”
In addition to their oatmeal, the company also offers gluten-free pancake, cookie and muffin mixes.
“Our objective was to come up with products that were as good or better than what non-celiac (consumers) were eating,” said Stephen. “There’s no reason why celiac consumers should have to sacrifice nutrition or flavour because they’re on a gluten-free diet.”
Only Oats is available at Co-op Food Stores throughout Western Canada, and new organic offerings will hit store shelves in 2017.