Category: Profiles

NY Times: Maine’s Own Organic Milk

| Posted in Profiles

The New York Times has published an article about Maine’s Own Organic Milk and the challenges the organic dairy operation faces in trying to in business.

So far, success has been elusive. Ever since its milk began hitting shelves in January 2010, the company has barely managed to stay afloat, relying on a mix of investor money, grants, charitable donations and the kindness of neighbors buying half-gallons in solidarity.

“Our boat is made of duct tape and we’ve almost sunk a few times, but we’re paddling along,” said Mr. Bell, 33.

For more information about Maine’s Own Organic Milk and where to buy it, visit their website.

Profile of CBD

| Posted in Profiles

Maine Ahead has published a profile of Coffee by Design.

CBD sells coffee, foods, and merchandise, much of it sourced locally and in Maine, at its stores and online. They sell a range of products wholesale customers need to run their businesses—equipment, foods, syrups and bases—along with consulting services, including training, equipment service, and the kind of relationship that helps wholesale clients succeed. Wholesale makes up about 60% of revenues, with a goal of 80%.

Profile of Haven’s Candy

| Posted in People, Profiles

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published profiles of Haven’s Candy,

“What I love about Haven’s is that we are 96 years old, and although we have expanded our size and scope, and adopted some technology, we still make candy by hand,” Charles said. “We are sticking to our roots. That’s the soul of the company.”

and its owner Andy Charles,

“I was in my early 40s and thought, if I don’t get busy with this, I’ll wake up in my 70s with regrets,” he said of his decision to purchase the company in 2001. “I had an ‘Aha!’ moment.”

Charles, now 53, said he bought Haven’s because he was impressed with the company’s rich legacy in Portland and reputation for high-quality products.

Ohno Cafe

| Posted in Profiles

The Portland Daily Sun has published a profile of Ohno Cafe,

Ohno Cafe is a cozy neighborhood spot on Bracket Street in the West End offering breakfast, lunch and dinner options as well as a wide selections of wine and speciality beers.

But look below the surface and you’ll find that it’s also a high-yield production facility for the city’s premier pork-maple-Tabasco breakfast sandwich concoction known to it’s devoted following simply as “the number one”.

Mom’s Organic Munchies

| Posted in Profiles

Today’s Press Herald includes a profile of a Freeport entrepeneur who’s created a line of organic gluten free and dairy free energy bars,

“I started with the Goji-Pistachio bar,” Crush said. “Then I said, ‘I need something for people who need a little crunch.”‘

Thus, the Krunch Bar was born.

From there, Crush continued to expand the line, which now includes nine bars, three cookies and a package of mini-brownies.

Tony’s Donuts & Lobster Certification Controversy

| Posted in People, Profiles, Fisheries

For this week’s Maine at Work article reporter Ray Routhier makes donuts at Tony’s.

My first question was: When do I flip them? I was hoping for a specific answer, such as “in three minutes.” But I soon learned that Proulx, a 10-year veteran doughnut maker at Tony’s Donuts in Portland, didn’t have a lot of specific answers.

“When they’re done on one side,” was Proulx’s reply to my flipping question.

…and for a good laugh watch this 3-Minute Maine video produced by Down East about making donuts at Tony’s.

Also in today’s Press Herald is a report on the controversy surrounding efforts to get Maine’s lobster fishery certified as a sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.

“To have somebody in England evaluating our product and our conservation and how we do things doesn’t really cut it,” said Sheila Dassatt, executive director of the Downeast Lobstermen’s Association, which represents about 300 lobstermen along the Maine coast.

Oakhurst Dairy, Who Owns Organic, Ending the Currant Ban, Overfishing Ends

| Posted in People, Profiles, Farming, Fisheries

Also in today’s paper were articles about Oakhurst Dairy and the Bennett family who have run the business since it started in 1921,

“We have been able to stave off being bought by maintaining a strong brand identity. People know what we do and what we stand for,” Oakhurst President and Chief Operating Officer William Bennett said during a tour this week of the Oakhurst production plant on Forest Avenue.

reports on the effort to repeal the ban on growing currants in Maine, and on organic programming at the Maine Agricultural Trades Show,

Lisa Fernandes of Cape Elizabeth, who leads the Portland Permaculture Meetup, is coordinating the effort to get an old Maine law banning Ribes plants repealed. The law was enacted decades ago in an effort to control white pine blister rust, a plant disease that requires both pines and Ribes plants to persist.

and on statements made by the former chief scientist of NOAA’s Fisheries Service that overfishing will end this year,

The projected end of overfishing comes during a turbulent fishing year that has seen New England fishermen switch to a radically new management system. But scientist Steve Murawski said that for the first time in written fishing history, which goes back to 1900, “As far as we know, we’ve hit the right levels, which is a milestone.”