The sweet taste of success

When German born Gerhard Latka arrived in Parry Sound in 1989 to start a natural jam and juice manufacturing company, not even he could have predicted what a success it would become. “We were on the cusp of the organic wave,” says the founder of Crofter’s Organic. That first year, sales were $90,000. By the end of 1990, they had more than quadrupled. By 2000, the organic market had developed to a point where Crofter’s was supplying major supermarket chains in Canada and the U.S., including Loblaws and Safeway, as well as natural retailers such as Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s. A decade later, Crofter’s had become the leading brand in North America for certified organic spreads and preserves, and business was booming. But Latka knew that if Crofter’s was to keep growing, he needed a larger facility. With help from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, the family owned business opened a state-of-the-art plant in nearby Seguin in 2016. “The NOHFC support was absolutely critical, both from a financial point of view and by demonstrating confidence in the company’s future success.”