helloman

I am not a farmer.
The only thing that I'll ever grow was a potted plant at home,
and it wan't that successful.

I used to eat just for taste, convenience
without any concern about whether it was good for me.
Years ago I would eat a pint of ice cream for supper.
Drinking cola all day was common.

I slowly become more interested in nutrition over the years.
Now I pay attention to what I eat and read more about it.

You can check the following site on organic food certification.
Hopefully from there it can lead you to more useful info.

http://www.ecocert.fr/dyn/?MIval=PageAccueil&lg=en

When the choices are available and the prices are affordable,
I would always try to use organic products,
for example, soy products by Les Aliments Horium Foods Inc.
http://www.horium.com/english/ourproducts.html

Horium Foods uses only non-GMO soybeans and also offers a line of organic products, which are certified by Garantie Bio-Ecocert. Furthermore, Horium products are 100% pure and natural. We do not use any additives or preservatives, such as carrageenan (used as a thickener and stabilizer), which is found in many other brands of soy beverages. Studies have found that carrageenan is linked to cancer and other health problems.

Organic Soy Beverage
Lactose and cholesterol free, our Organic Soy Beverage is a refreshing and healthy drink. Made with 100% natural ingredients, it can also be used in any recipe to replace dairy milk. Available in 1 litre and 2 litre bottles.
Ingredients: filtered water and organic soybeans

organic breads by boulangerie st-methode
http://www.boulangeriestmethode.com/contenu/painBiologique_ang.cfm
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=594 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=2><TABLE bordercolor=#f5eaac cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=10 width=594 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=594 background=http://www.boulangeriestmethode.com/PagesInterieures/background_ficheproduits_ang.gif><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=574 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=275> </TD><TD widht="10"></TD><TD class=size2 vAlign=top width=289>Sunflower-Flax-Sesame

The best of both worlds! Originating from distinct vegetable groups, grains & cereals include both different yet complimentary nutritional elements. Recent studies show that unsaturated fatty acids found in grains help prevent cardio-vascular diseases, especially by bringing down bad cholesterol in the blood stream. Either way, you win!! Take time to savor the richness of various nutritional elements such as cereals and grounded grains.

Delicious & Nutritious

- Excellent marriage between cereals & grains

Gastons’ Food For Thought

Home-Made Snack-Bar!! For an energizing break, spread both peanut butter and apricot jelly on our Sunflower-Flax-Sesame Bread. Yummy!


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD bgcolor=#dcb96d colSpan=2 heigh="1"></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=2><TABLE bordercolor=#f5eaac cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=10 width=594 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top background=http://www.boulangeriestmethode.com/PagesInterieures/background_ficheproduits_ang.gif><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=574 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=280><TABLE bordercolor=#f5eaac cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=280 border=1><TBODY><TR bgcolor=#faf4d3><TD class=size1 align=middle colSpan=2>Nutrition Information

2 slices (86g)
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Energy</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>231 Cal

967 kJ</FONT>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>rotein</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>8.5 g</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#faf4d3>Fat</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#faf4d3>4.9 g</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>olyunsaturated</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>2.3 g</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 width=220 bgcolor=#ffffff>Monounsaturated</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle width=70 bgcolor=#ffffff>0.8 g</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Saturated</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>0.7 g</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Cholesterol</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>0 mg</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#faf4d3>Carbohydrate</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#faf4d3>33 g</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Sugar</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>3 g</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Dietary Fibre</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>3.9 g</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Sodium</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>411 mg</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>otassium</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>229 mg</TD></TR><TR bgcolor=#faf4d3><TD class=size1 colSpan=2>% of recommended daily intake</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Vitamin E</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>12 %</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Thiamine</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>27 %</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Riboflavin</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>13 %</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Niacin</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>21 %</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Vitamin B6</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>18 %</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Folacin</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>26 %</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Calcium</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>9 %</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>hosphorus</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>19 %</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Magnesium</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>28 %</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Iron</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>16 %</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Zinc</TD><TD class=size1 align=middle bgcolor=#ffffff>15 %</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD width=10></TD><TD vAlign=top width=280><TABLE bordercolor=#f5eaac cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=280 border=1><TBODY><TR><TD class=size1 width=161 bgcolor=#ffffff>Category</TD><TD class=size1 width=115 bgcolor=#ffffff>ain biologique</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Name</TD><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Sunflower-Flax-Sesame</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Weigth</TD><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>650 g</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>UPC code</TD><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>0 68505 10305 3</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Purchase order</TD><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>6740</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Lifetime</TD><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>9 jours</TD></TR><TR><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>Slices</TD><TD class=size1 bgcolor=#ffffff>16</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Ingredients: ORGANIC WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, ORGANIC SUNFLOWER SEEDS, ORGANIC HONEY, WHEAT GLUTEN, ORGANIC SUNFLOWER OIL, ORGANIC SESAME SEEDS, SEA SALT, ORGANIC LINSEEDS, YEAST, ORGANIC SOYA FLOUR, ORGANIC APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, ORGANIC POWDER MALT MODIFIED WHEAT STARCH, ENZYMES.

Characteristics:
Organic certified
Source of energy
Source of dietary fibre
Source of polyunsaturated fat
Low in satured fat
No cholesterol
No sugar added, sweet with honey
Source of potassium
Source of vitamine E
Source of riboflavin
Source of calcium
Good source of vitamine B6
Good source of niacin
Good source of phosphore
Good source of iron
Good source of zinc
Excellent source of thiamine
Excellent source of folacin
Excellent source of magnesium
Made with spring water
This bread is made no hydrogenated vegetable oil and no trans fat.


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Of course there are other brands of organic products you can try,
those listed above are just my personal preferences.

elegance

Hi, helloman, thank you so much for replying. I believe you have made a wise choice on choosing organic foods, they do will benefit you a lot. BTW, I am searching for a detailed lists of organic food stores in Montreal.All I have got now are nature foods and health foods, where do you usually buy those branded organic products? Do the shops which sell organic products always locate near big grocery stores? What made you start eating organic foods? How did you first find the first organic retailer? Sorry for these long questions:rolleyes: Waiting for your reply, many thx

helloman

where do you usually buy those branded organic products?

For the soy products, I buy it from the Chinese grocery store called "Sun Yuen",
which is in the same building as the restaurant "La maison Kam Fung".
That brand of organic bread is carried in Metro supermarkets.

Do the shops which sell organic products always locate near big grocery stores?

Not usually.

What made you start eating organic foods?

After reading up on it.

How did you first find the first organic retailer?

I didn't look for organic food retailer.
I just looked for products with organic ingredients.
Organic food wasn't available in big supermarkets until a couple of years ago.
Although the availability of organic food is still limited,
I believe that the trend of stocking organic food among the big food retailers
is starting to catch on.

If you are looking to start up an organic food retailling business,
there should be a good growth potential.

elegance

hi, helloman. Very grateful for your cooperation. Tell me, if I want to start an organic business, where do you think is wise for me to set up my store? Set up a corner in a big Grocer's, set up one store in a shopping center or in the suburb where I can get access to those organic growers? Where will you go and buy? And do you prefer to buy the processed organic foods or the fresh organic vegetables and other fresh produce? How much price difference will you accept between non-organic and organic? I am very sorry for these long questions, but your answer really amazed me. Waiting for your reply, ciao!

helloman

Post by elegance
if I want to start an organic business, where do you think is wise for me to set up my store? Set up a corner in a big Grocer's, set up one store in a shopping center or in the suburb where I can get access to those organic growers?

Besides the obvious factors of good traffic and ease of access,
pick an area which appreciates quality products even at a slight premium. That means an area with higher average education and family income.
For example, the brand of organic bread that I talked about is stocked more and seems to sell better at the Metro store on Sherbrooke W, near Westmount library, than the Provigo in the shopping center near Cote-Vertu metro station. That Provigo doesn't even carry that brand of organic bread anymore.
Monkland avenue, south of Girouard, not too far from Villa Maria metro,
is also a good area.
You just have to look around for those areas.
I haven't seen an independently owned section in a suppermarket yet,
so I don't know if or how well that arrangement will work.
The main idea is to set up easy access for the customers,
not for the suppliers.

Where will you go and buy?

See above.

And do you prefer to buy the processed organic foods or the fresh organic vegetables and other fresh produce?

Both processed and fresh organic food are good.
The important thing is that the method of processing doesn't diminish the quality of the organic ingredients.
For example, good peanut butter has organic peanuts and a bit of salt only while the big name brand peanut butter also has hydrogenated oil(which is very bad for health) and other unappetitzing stuff.

How much price difference will you accept between non-organic and organic?  

For the informed consumers, a slight premium is acceptable.
A litre of organic carot juice in Provigo is selling well at $3.99.
That brand of organic bread in Metro supermarket costs about $3.50 a loaf.
You can look around those grocery stores to get an idea of the prices.
Once again if you can sell good products at competitve prices,
more power to you.
Keep in mind that for the consumers who know enough to look for organic food,
quality of the food and confidence in the store are the most important factors.