THUNDER BAY – Walter Schep wants to take the family business to the next level.
First founded nearly 20 years ago by his parents as a retirement venture, and taken over by Schep just six years ago, the current owner of the Thunder Oak Cheese Farm wants to go from just a locally recognizable enterprise to one that can tap into larger markets.
With a more than $400,000 contribution from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, the local cheese farm is able to look at increasing its market not only across the province but into other parts of Canada.
“This has really enabled us to move forward a lot faster than we would have been able to otherwise,” Schep said.
“There’s a very large market for artisanal cheeses yet and we want to get into that market. Right now we’re just provincially licensed and we might go federal, which will enable us to get into other provinces.”
The contribution will be used towards building a 6,000 square foot processing space, along with upgrades to the manufacturing equipment.
The funding announcement was made by Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro on Tuesday afternoon at Thunder Oak Cheese Farm site on Boundary Road. Mauro also announced a near identical contribution to Woodstar Farm in Murillo to aid towards their construction of a new barn, which represents an expansion of $55,000.
The contributions comes weeks after the heritage fund announced the Slate River Dairy would receive $500,000 to build a milk, cream and yogurt bottling facility.
Mauro said the contributions made by the rural agricultural enterprises are valuable to the region in a variety of ways.
In addition to offering locally sourced products, the agricultural sector boosts the local and regional economies.
“These two operations are small businesses that provide us with a host of benefits,” Mauro said. “They will be expanding their employment levels and who knows where it can go.”
Thunder Oak is also able to enhance their one-site retailing operations, which sell a variety of products from other area businesses in addition to their own offerings.
Schep said it’s important for all local food producers to work in collaboration to promote each other’s efforts.
“It’s not just us we keep busy. We can buy more local, sell more local products here as well and showcase the other products,” he said.
“The more you can keep in Thunder Bay the stronger you make us as a community.”
