SpotlightAugust2020

AUGUST 2020

LAGO APPAREL

OVER 32 YEARS OF PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY BRANDED PRODUCTS FOR ALL INDUSTRIES

BREW MOVERS

HANDCRAFTED LOGISTIC SOLUTION SPECIALISTS

ROYAL FOUNDRY CRAFT SPIRITS BRINGING TRADITIONAL BRITISH DISTILLING TO MINNEAPOLIS

Black Diamond Distillery Locally sourced award-winning craft spirit company

IN THE SPOTLIGHT TANYA CHEDRAWY ACTOR, PRODUCER, WRITER & FOUNDER & CEO OF TANYA MEDIA

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spotlight on august I n August we see businesses adapting to new business norms and they and government continue the road to economic recovery on both sides of the border. More and more government restrictions are being lifted in attempts to bring our personal and business lives back to normal, the new normal. Spotlight sat down with Jonathan “Jonny” Lali, Sales Development Manager &member of the Product Development team, and LinseyMcTag- gart, SalesManager &member of the Product Development team, of Lago Apparel, located in Langley, British Columbia to learn how for over 32 years they have been building relationships across Canada offering high quality branded products, such as hoodies, hats and sleepwear, for the corporate, brewery and souvenir focused markets. Staying in Western Canada but moving eastward to St. Albert, Alberta, we chat with Andrea and David Scade, co-owners of Black Diamond Distillery, about their whirlwind years that brought marriage, two kids and a new distillery that was inspired by an engagement ring. Moving further East and South of the border to Minneapolis, Minnesota we have the opportunity to speak with two of the owners of Royal Foundry Craft Spirits, Andy and Nikki McLain, and learn about the British pastimes of pub skittles and cycle speedway as well as the art of crafting traditional British spirits. Staying South of the border and moving to the East Coast we talk with Adrian Gram and Brandon Arnold, co-founders and co-owners of Brew Movers in Charlotte, North Carolina about the intricate logistics of moving beer, malts and even whole brewing systems across North America and beyond. Tanya Chedrawy of Tanya Media is, “in the spotlight” as we learn how this Actor, Producer, Writer and CEO reclaimed her confidence and passion for assisting entrepreneurs claim their space in front of their key audiences. We want to thank all those involved in putting this issue together, as we know there are still difficult roads ahead for small and medium sized businesses. These are extremely demanding times for business, but we promise to keep sharing business success and the people behind making it all happen. We are all in this together.

Youmay have noticed a fewchanges in Truro lately.

MANAGING DIRECTOR Rod Gregg EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lee Ann Atwater RESEARCH TEAM LEAD Ashley Tanner WEB DESIGN LEAD Sean Bridge CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lee Ann Atwater Janice Buckler Tanya Chedrawy Jody Euloth Shannon Ferguson Anita Flowers Calli Gregg Dan Monk Christi Rideout SOCIAL MEDIA & ADMIN Kate Davis GRAPHIC DESIGN LEADS Matthew Erickson Aaron Jeffrey COMMUNICATIONS LEAD

Calli Gregg PUBLISHER AIDACA Media

Lee Ann Atwater, Editor

Same great people. Same great service. 437Prince St., Truro 902.895.1651 reservations@innonprince.com

P.O. Box 35007, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3M 0G3 P: 902 402 3936 E: info@spotlightbizmag.com spotlightonbusinessmagazine.com

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august

03 SPOTLIGHT ON AUGUST 08 UPCOMING EVENTS – SEPTEMBER 2020 10 IN THE SPOTLIGHT Tanya Chedrawy – Actor, Producer, Writer and the Founder & CEO of Tanya Media 14 SPOTLIGHT ON INDUSTRY 16 CONTRACTORS CORNER Business is essential 34 COUNTRY MALT GROUP Growing an ever-evolving business for 25 years 40 SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS 42 WHAT’S NEW WITH FANSAVES How a Pandemic Taught the World the Importance of Shopping Local 52 GLENNS CREEK DISTILLERY Old Fashion Craftmanship in a Bottle 66 BYOP (BE YOUR OWN PUBLICIST) How to get others to rave about you & your organization 68 SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION 70 BUILDING BRANDS What is meant by “CONTENT WRITING” & Why it’s essential for your business 72 THE CUP STORE Helping brands get into customer’s hands 78 VESSEL PACKAGING Breaking barriers in the beverage canning industry 84 SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH & WELLNESS 86 HOLISTIC HEALTH Nutrients A to Z - Vitamin F 88 ICONIC BREWING COMPANY The “better for you” Brands 98 MANAGING THE STRESSES OF SALES Three Keys for Optimal Selling and better Results 99 ITCHING FOR SOCIALABLES BY THE CAMPFIRE You’re not the only one!

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BLACK DIAMOND DISTILLERY LOCALLY SOURCED AWARD-WINNING CRAFT SPIRIT COMPANY HOSPITALITY

LAGO APPAREL

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OVER 32 YEARS OF PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY BRANDED PRODUCTS FOR ALL INDUSTRIES

Andrea Scade insisted on a black diamond for an engage- ment ring. She didn’t realize at the time that she would also be opening a distillery named after that ring, Black Diamond Distillery in St. Albert, Alberta. Spotlight on Business recently sat down with Andrea and David Scade, co-owners of Black Diamond Distillery, to chat about their whirlwind years that brought marriage, two kids and a new distillery. ROYALFOUNDRYCRAFTSPIRITS BRINGING TRADITIONAL BRITISH DISTILLING TOMINNEAPOLIS

For 32 years, Lago Apparel has been building relationships across Canada one sales call at a time. Now a custom apparel business, Lago Apparel offers high quality branded products, such as hoodies, hats and sleepwear, for the corporate, brewery and souvenir focused markets. Spotlight sat down with Jonathan “Jonny” Lali, Sales Development Manager & member of the Product Development team, and Linsey McTaggart, Sales Manager & member of the Product Development team, to talk about the company’s impressive 32-year history and remarkable philanthropic commit- ment.

BREWMOVERS HANDCRAFTED LOGISTIC SOLUTION SPECIALISTS

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How did a traditional British distillery end up inMinneapolis, Minnesota? Anew craft distillery and event venue is infusing the Minneapolis craft cocktail scene with traditional British flavours along with introducing Minnesotans to pub skittles and cycle speedway track racing. Royal FoundryCraft Spirits are made with in classic British style using grains, botanical and classic recipes. Spotlight on Business sat down with the husband and wife team, Andy McLain, Co-Owner & Chief distiller and Nikki McLain, Co-Owner & Chief Marketing Officer of Royal Foundry Craft Spirits to learn about the British pastimes of pub skittles and cycle speedway as well as the art of crafting traditional British spirits.

With a tagline like “handcrafted logistics,” you expect exceptional quality service to match your craft beers. BrewMovers ships more than just pallets of beer for craft breweries, but their focus is to pro- viding top tier service to everyone, regardless of their size or frequency of shipping. Spotlight on Business sat down to talk with Adrian Gram and Brandon Arnold, co-founders and co-owners of BrewMovers about the intricate logistics ofmovingbeer,malts andevenwholebrewing systems across North America and beyond.

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September

YOUR BEERS ARE HAZY, YOUR LOGISTICS DON’T HAVE TO BE. ™

S potlight on Business Magazine continues to carefully follow the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the effect this pandemic continues to have on businesses and industries in North America. As events continue to be cancelled or post- poned, we are working with governments along with event and production companies to keep on top of the latest developments. As we see the COVID-19 curve continue to flatten and restric - tion start to ease it is still important for all to stay focused on the health and safety of event attend- ees, exhibitors, and volunteers so we will keep you informed in the weeks and months to come about events happening coast to coast. So in saying that, as has been the case for the last few months we will not have our usual spot- light on Trade Shows, Conferences and Events for September 2020, but you can be assured that Spotlight on Business Magazine will continue to monitor the situation and continue to communi- cate with our event partners to keep you informed for the upcoming September issue.

If you have changes for any upcoming Trade Shows, Conferences and Events for October please send us your information so that we can spotlight them for our readers in our upcoming issues. Please continue to follow the recommendations of health officials on both sides of the border. If we all do our part, we can contain the spread of this virus and start enjoying life again without social distancing. Again, we would also like to take this time to thank all front-line workers that are battling this pandemic and those that are keeping the supply of goods on our shelves along with all other essential workers out there. Your selfless dedica - tion and efforts are truly appreciated. And remember, it is more important than ever to continue to support local businesses during this time.

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Take care of yourselves and each other and remember stay safe and healthy!

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but realized she wanted to tackle new challenges and take her career in another direction. So, she made the hard decision to leave what she was doing and go back to school to continue her edu- cation in pursuit of a master’s degree in Public Administration at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS. If Tanya looks familiar it’s because she is an expe- rienced actor and no stranger to TV, film and theatre. She has worked on the TV series Haven (Showcase), along with numerous independent and short film projects and performed on stage at the Rebecca Cohn in the Brookes Diamond hit musical DRUM! She portrayed “Heidi” in season 7 of CBC’s Mr. D., so it is safe to say that she knows a thing or two about being in front of the camera. After graduating in 2016 with her MPA Tanya had a renewed confidence, motivation, and drive, she went on to pursue another one of her lifelong dreams, which was to produce and host a televi- sion show. She pitched her show idea to Eastlink executives and Small Talk, Big Ideas was born. Small Talk, Big Ideas is a series of interviews with innovators and thought leaders who are creating positive change within and beyond Nova Scotia’s borders.

“When I was a kid it started with the written word. Now I am so proud to say that my storytelling also includes plat- forms such as TV, online and video.”

IN THE SPOTLIGHT TANYA CHEDRAWY – ACTOR, PRODUCER, WRITER, AND THE FOUNDER & CEO OF TANYA MEDIA

by Lee Ann Atwater

“When I was a kid it started with the written word. Now I am so proud to say that my story- telling also includes platforms such as TV, online and video.” Tanya goes on to say, “My show on Eastlink is a platform that has integrated all of my education, skills and experience. I am so grateful for it because it has given me a voice. Communi- ty TV is incredibly important, and I will continue to do the show as long as there is an audience for it.” Community TV has showcased Tanya’s true passion and undeniable talent, both in front of the camera as host and behind the scenes as a producer, to bring stories to life for her audience. Her positive experience on community TV also led to her creating the media and communica- tions company, Tanya Media. Although, the show has served as the inspiration for Tanya’s company, they are completely separate endeavours.

You do not need to be around Tanya Chedrawy for very long to understand that she is passionate about life and business. Working with Tanya you soon find out that she is an extremely motivated, hard working creative entrepreneur, and a true visionary. Tanya is a natural born storyteller who has turned a childhood passion and dream into a business. Tanya Media specializes in marketing, public relations and media production and assists small-to-me - dium sized businesses grow their brand awareness. However, success has not come easy for Tanya. Like many entrepreneurs, she had another career

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Tanya Media assists entrepreneurs to claim their space in front of their key audiences. Tanya is always looking for opportunities to help people leverage all forms of media to connect and engage with their audiences. It is this drive that has also lead to the launch of a podcast hosted and produced by Tanya Media and Podcast Atlantic called Beyond our Borders (iTunes). Beyond our Borders offers a global reach and more open and candid conversations with Atlantic Canadian politicians, entrepre- neurs, innovators, experts, and all types of trail brazing leaders making a splash in this region and spotlights the positive impact that they continue to have on their respective industries in and beyond their regional borders.

“Essentially, I am in the business of putting the spot- light on individuals who make an impact.”

Regardless of the media platform, Tanya says, “Essentially, I am in the business of putting the spotlight on individuals who make an impact.” With her various platforms and experience she can tailor your social media approach, offer a complete video production or simply reworking of a bio. In today’s world, words are very powerful, and you can communicate your story in many dif- ferent ways. It can be a sentence on Twitter or a post on Facebook and it can be catchy, poignant or provocative. People don’t realize that they are usually their best ambassador. The point is, you have to leverage who you are and communicate that in a way that stands out from the rest, espe- cially from your competitors. People are inclined to buy a service or product from someone they connect with and Tanya Media can help you do just that. In this digital age you really have no choice. There are too many choices and if you don’t stand out you will get lost in the crowd and it’s that simple. Your product or service needs to be remarkable and then you have to use words and images in such a way that communicates that impressive- ness to your target audience or customer. If you’d like to learn more about Tanya Media and how Tanya can help you or your business or orga- nization gain exposure for your brand, simply visit tanyamedia.com she would be more than happy to answer your questions.

Read our guide online at TourismMedicineHat.com

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Spotlight on Industry Headlines

TRUMP’S TARIFFS ON CANADIAN ALUMINUM WILL BENEFIT FOREIGN COMPANIES T he Canadian ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman said that biggest beneficiaries from the Trump administration’s 10 per cent tar- iff on imports of aluminum from Canada will be a Swiss trading company and Rusal aluminum of Russia rather than U.S. manufacturers. This looks to be more of a political move by Trump than an economic one. However Ambassador Hillman has also gone on record as saying that Canada hopes the U.S. will reconsider these tariffs and that the Canadi- an government is ready to retaliate and prepared to respond “forcefully” with the objective of the countermeasures to have the “strongest possible impact” on the U.S. exports specific to aluminum and aluminum-containing products, not other goods like agriculture. C anada economy gained 419,000 jobs in July, which is more than most economists forecast, as Covid-19 restrictions start to lift, and more businesses and parts of the econo- my are allowed to reopen for business. Data from Statistics Canada’s latest Labour Force Survey showed the unemployment rate inched down to 10.9 per cent in July, while the jobless rate was 12.3 per cent, down from a record high of 13.7 per cent in May. Economists had expected a gain of 400,000 jobs and an unemployment rate of 11 per cent for July, so this is welcomed news. However, most of the gains were part-time work, which increased 11.3 per cent (345,000 jobs) with a 0.5 percent increase (73,000 jobs) in full-time work. CANADA BEATS JOB EXPECTATIONS

U.S. ECONOMY SHRINKS IN SECOND QUARTER T he business numbers are in from the first full month of the COVID-19 pandemic lock- down in April. Statistics Canada reported that there were 88,187 business closures, which is more than double the 39,078 number that closed shop for the same month for the prior year. It was also that few- er new businesses are opening as the economy had 32,803 new businesses open in April, down about 18 per cent from a year earlier. Data also showed that the numbers of business- es operation in Canada for April was the lowest since the statistics agency began tracking this data in 2015 at 679,336. COVID-19 CAUSES BUSINESS CLOSURES TO DOUBLE IN CANADA N ordstrom has added itself to the list of brick and mortar retailers that are tempo- rarily closing down to limit the spread of COVID-19, joining many retailers, including Nike and Apple, which have closed their stores tempo- rarily to allow employees to be safe at home, and have encouraged consumers to do the same. The retailer announced that more than 360 stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico will be closed at least two weeks and the company will continue to pay staff and offer benefits. Nordstrom’s e-commerce platform, which ac- counts for about a third of the company’s sales, will remain fully operational during this period.

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Currently, this money is being used to subsidize incomes for those displaced by a pandemic and to continue to stimulate our economy. None of this could happen without a strong economy to begin with. It is important for us to realize the impact of business and innovation in our society – the primary factor why many of us only have 1st world problems! Without this foundation of financial stability which funds infrastructure, military, and provide a social security net which is consistent work and income, society takes a turn, crime rates rise and people suffer. Only one year ago, the Canadian federal govern- ment changed small business tax lawswhicheffec- tively penalized businesses for being successful. Our leaders compared business owner’s income to that of a traditional employee. This simply is not a fair statement! Hear me out, this neglects the fact that business owners are managing

extra risk factors and securing employment and income for many others in the process. They also support the government acting as a tax collector and generating revenue to fund their programs. Tax laws that penalize success are actually coun - terintuitive for the success of the country and reduce the incentive for businesses to grow their investments. We need progressive tax laws that encourage business and make the reward worth the risk.

CONTRACTOR’S

BUSINESS IS ESSENTIAL by Dan Monk

I believe that society is only beginning to realize the critical importance of commerce and businesses of all sizes no matter where you are in the world. With many businesses impacted by a pandemic, it has allowed everyone to see the essential role these busi- nesses play in our daily lives. Businesses are much more then corporate entities trying to make profit. Business is about interactions between bosses, managers, staff, clients and extending beyond strictly business networks to families and friends. Business without relationships is just an empty shell because it’s really all about the people involved. We are discovering, as we adjust to the new normal, that businesses and their people are the engine that drive our entire economy, creates our lifestyles, keep us warm, fed, clothed. Where do you think our governments get their money? From businesses and the people they employ.

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The next time you make an assumption or a judgement about a successful business owner, I encourage you to think again. There is probably much more work being put in behind the scenes that you do not see. Being an entrepreneur is about risk, sacrifice, stress, and worry. Any level of achievement requires courage to risk what most people will not, determination to ensure the investment and energy is worth the reward, and a positive attitude in the face of adversity. Without the upside potential, who would risk and sacrifice so much? It is important to remember the effects of this pandemic: business closures, no revenue for months, and uncertainty for many entrepreneurs. Business owners invest everything they have into their business and failure means bankrupt- cy in most cases – this is obviously devastating financially but also mentally. For most business owners, their business is their identity, their life’s work, their stability, and retirement plan all rolled into one! To bring it back to the small business tax

changes, now that I’ve painted a picture of the tremendous risk taken on many business owners, I’d like to add that I think they should reap the reward as well. At the end of the day, you will see all that money again as they likely support local charities, sponsor recreational sports teams, and invest the money directly into their own commu- nity. I hope you have found this article interesting and provided a little food for thought regarding the value of businesses of all sizes in our country.

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BREW MOVERS HANDCRAFTED LOGISTIC SOLUTION SPECIALISTS by Anita Flowers

W ith a tagline like “handcrafted logistics,” you expect exceptional quality service to match your craft beers. While the company moves more than just pallets of beer for craft breweries, the focus is on providing top tier service to everyone, regardless of their size or fre- quency of shipping. Spotlight on Business sat down to talk with Adrian Gram and Brandon Arnold, co-founders and co-owners of Brew Movers about the intri- cate logistics of moving beer, malts and even whole brewing systems across North America and beyond.

“We realized that we were not only saving them money and time, but we were giving them advice on how to operate and be more efficient ”

The two formed their first company, Hatch Trans - portation which is a full asset-based company. “We own a fleet of trucks that not only do ded - icated shipments for customers but also do hauling all across the United States,” said Adrian. Brew Movers began when the two began helping Brandon’s brother, a brewer at Southern Grist Brewing Company in Nashville, TN, who was struggling with the inbound and outbound logis- tics of moving beer and materials for brewing. “We realized that we were not only saving them money and time, but we were giving them advice on how to operate and be more efficient with getting ingredients in on time, getting beer out the door, and even getting materials such as kegs, growlers and even hops and malt in time for them to brew. We started thinking if these guys are really struggling with it, a lot of these small craft breweries around the US must be as well,” said Brandon.

Word spread quickly about the new service and Brew Movers officially began in late 2017. The culture of Brew Movers is driven by the feel and needs of the craft brewing industry. “The feeling of working with the customer and vendors and suppliers that support this craft brewing industry is like nothing you’ve seen before. It’s the feeling of walking into a tap room or brewery and the jovial vibe of having a beer and chatting with friends. We’re a band of team members who don’t have titles. Everyone is willing to pitch in. Everyone knows that these are all small business- es we’re working with and time is money, and there’s not a lot of money to be had, so we have to do everything as fast as possible, as accurate as possible and in the cheapest way possible,” said Adrian.

Adrian Gram and Brandon Arnold met following a 5K race, thanks to their wives, who got to know each other at a coffee shop while they were both pregnant. Both men had dreams of owning their own business and found their personalities and business outlook meshed well. “Coming into our relationship as business partners, I had a lot of industry experience in logistics and transportation. Adrian had a lot of expertise in running business units and marketing and different strategies that I didn’t necessarily have. It was good because we were both experts in different things and it really was a good match and a good partnership. That’s what I think has made us suc- cessful,” said Brandon.

“we were both experts in different things and it really was a good match and a good part- nership.”

“We’re a band of team members who don’t have titles. Everyone is willing to pitch in.”

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for different types of equipment. We also do intermodal, which means trains. When timing is not of the essence, but cost is, train is usually an efficient way to do that. Lastly, we also do inter - national. We do both container shipping which is full container from overseas down to one pallet internationally,” said Brandon.

“In the last 12 months, we’ve shipped in or out of almost 1500 different brewer- ies across North America.”

The company moves more than just beer. “We ship close to 100 million pounds of malt direct from the maltster out to the breweries every year. In the last 12 months, we’ve shipped in or out of almost 1500 different breweries across North America. We have industry partners like maltsters and the hop companies, as well as tank companies and kegs companies that are direct customers as well. So, we’re actually passing that savings along from the front end, right from the vendor from the very beginning,” said Adrian.

Brew Movers now employs 12 people to support customers and provide a high level of customer service. The company had planned to add addi- tional workers just prior to the COVID-19 restric- tions and hopes to eventually make that happen. Brew Movers strives to provide handcrafted solu- tions tomovingbeer andmaterials. “Our approach to the craft brewing industry is not only provid- ing the solution of getting your product, whether it’s beer, malt hops, kegs, tanks or equipment from point A to point B, but actually selecting the right mode. There’s a lot of different forms of transportation out there - some faster, some cheaper, some very expensive,” said Adrian. The team works to educate owners with regards to shipping and logistics. “Our product offerings and our modes include LTL, which is ‘less than truckload’ and truckload, which includes refrigerator, trucking, drive-in, and several different types of flatbed (step deck, low boys, drop decks and removable gooseneck)

While they do work with some enterprise customers, the focus is on small to medium sized businesses who don’t have access to the broader market. “The trucking and shipping industry is a 765 billion nationwide North American market. What we are aiming for at Brew Movers is to provide what we say in our tagline, ‘handcrafted logistics.’ We’re trying to provide that same level of top tier service to everyone, regardless of their size and frequency of shipping,” said Adrian. Brew Movers works to help customers build their businesses and save money, helping customers realize the value of saving even $25 per pallet. “All of a sudden, they realize that’s $700 or $800 dollars for only 2-3 weeks worth of pallets. That coupled with what we think is the exemplary service that we’re trying to provide is really a win-win for everybody,” said Adrian.

“In the last 12 months, we’ve shipped in or out of almost 1500 differ- ent brewer- ies across North America.”

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Brew Movers began with the mission of moving beer; however, they began solving problems for the craft beer industry in other ways. “Originally, our business started off with just moving beer. There’s nothing worse to be a brewery and show up to a festival and your beer is not there for you to pour, because the carrier or your shipping partner did not ensure that it got there on time. We built our reputation by making sure that 100% of the time, the beer got to those festivals.” Brew Movers provides festival logistics for craft beer and other festivals. “We do a lot of big festi- vals for breweries. For anniversary or yearly festi- vals, we do the organizing and get everything to the festival on time and set up. For many of the craft brewers who do these festivals, logistics is the biggest issue,” said Adrian. The company also helps breweries in the start-up phase. “On the inbound side, when they’re starting the brewery, we’re helping to provide not only the tanks and equipment they need to be able to brew the beer, but the kegs that they need to store the beer, the glassware that they’re going to be serving it in or bottling it, the malt, hops, fruit, and everything such as that. We have now been able to connect ourselves at the center of everything that moves in and out of the craft brewing industry,” said Adrian. Brew Movers has expanded to include customers who make lemonade and ciders, as well as soda and kombucha companies. Customers can get started with a phone call or email which is likely to be answered by either Arnold or Gram. “We like to be on the front lines for any new customer to welcome them to the Brew Movers family and community as we like to call it. We try to find out more about their business and what they’re trying to accomplish, rather than just throwing a quote out there. We have an in-house rule that any email, not just a new customer submission, but any email at all, must have a response within 10 minutes of that email. 10 minutes in logistics can mean a whole day,” said Brandon. Customers can email the team at support@brew- movers.com or info@brewmovers.com or submit questions on the website.

“We have an in-house rule that any email, not just a new customer submission, but any email at all, must have a response within 10 minutes of that email. 10 minutes in logis- tics can mean a whole day,”

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Over 32 years of providing high quality branded products for all industries by Anita Flowers LAGO APPAREL

“I grew up in the business, cleaning the warehouse, going on sales trips and filling orders. That’s what prepared me for the apparel industry”

F or 32 years, Lago Apparel has been building relationships across Canada one sales call at a time. Now a custom apparel business, Lago Apparel offers high quality branded products, such as hoodies, hats and sleepwear, for the cor- porate, brewery and souvenir focused markets. Spotlight sat down with Jonathan “Jonny” Lali, Sales Development Manager & member of the Product Development team, and Linsey McTag- gart, Sales Manager & member of the Product Development team, to talk about the company’s impressive 32-year history and remarkable philan- thropic commitment. MEET JONNY LALI: Jonny Lali learned the business from his dad, Sat Lali, co-founder, President and CEO of Lago Apparel. “I grew up in the business, cleaning the warehouse, going on sales trips and filling orders. That’s what prepared me for the apparel industry – all the trips in the summer on sales calls with my dad. Him and Rick Kish were the main driver in sales for many years. What I learned was that it’s more of a relationship building business than anything else. It’s old school mentality.” MEET LINSEY MCTAGGART: After a completing her business degree in Alberta, she had a breif stint in banking, decided it wasn’t for her and moved to Vancouver to study Fashion Design at the Art Institute of Van- couver. Linsey McTaggart began working in the fashion industry in Vancouver initially working the bridal industry. While working as a design assis- tance for a successful fashion-house in Vancou- ver she would also do freelance designs for cus- tomers ranging from musicians, bridal, mother of the bride to grad dresses as well as designed a few mini collections for local fashion shows. “I’ve always had a natural ability to sell and to connect

to people, this and my apparel background was a good fit for Lago.” A LITTLE COMPANY HISTORY: Lago Apparel began with a road trip across Canada. In Dec of 1986, the company that Rick Kish and Sat Lali worked for closed its doors, putting them out of a job. Lali and his family, living in Nova Scotia at that time, made the decision to move back to Vancouver. Upon learning that a new product, the Rick Hansen Yoyo, needed immediate representation across Canada, Lali and Kish took up the chal- lenge to promote it. “Basically, they packed up the house and drove across the country. It was one big long sales trip - hitting every customer they knew. That was the beginning of Lago Apparel, now celebrating 32 years,” said Lali’s son, Jonny. In the early days of the company, Lali and Kish worked repping products for other compa- nies but became frustrated by production and shipping delays.

“I’ve always had a natural ability to sell and to connect to people, this and my apparel background was a good fit for Lago.”

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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

They began to choose their own product line to sell. In 1987 Sat Lali bought the current property for a home with a small 800 square foot garage that functioned as the first warehouse. After an apparel company in Vancouver couldn’t keep up with their sales orders, the company gave Lago a transfer machine and their souvenir clothing adventure began. The company experimented with a variety of products – sunglasses, doodle art and novelty items. Lali and Kish worked sales during the day and shipping and accounting at night. Lali’s wife, Sherry, and friends heat pressed the shirts. Soon the business outgrew the garage and Sherry evicted them before a semi-truck ran over their kids. The first warehouse of 3500 square feet was rented in Port Kells. The focus on clothing soon became the main business and the company continued to grow in sales and staff. Soon the company expanded into a 6500 sq. foot ware- house, bought their first embroidery machine and developed an in-house screen-printing depart- ment, then expanded again into a 10,000 square foot warehouse. After overflowing that ware - house, and with a sales force that was building

sales across Canada, the company expanded again in 2008 and constructed their own facility. In 2013, Rick Lali (GM and Production Manager), Ahmad Malik (CFO), and Elias Boutros (Sales) joined partnership/ownership group.

“Overall, it’s a very healthy work environment. The ownership group is very supportive, and there’s always room to grow.”

THE CULTURE AND CHALLENGES: The culture at Lago Apparel is family focused, value based and genuinely philanthropic. Currently, the company employs 35 during the slow season and about 45 as production ramps up. Employee retention is distinctive with 30% of the staff employed for over 10 years and 35% for 5-10 years. 60% of the staff are women. “Overall, it’s a very healthy work environment. The ownership group is very supportive, and there’s always room to grow. The company is always willing to take risks, adapt and change, which keeps things exciting and current. And then the fact that we get to travel across our beautiful country is huge It’s good to work for a company that has the same morals that we do and encourages giving back,” said McTaggart. The company value statement was written with participation and input from 90% of the staff. “We took everybody’s input and pared it down to five core values, including teamwork, compassion, honesty, integrity and respect.” said Lali. The industry has changed over the years, bringing new challenges and competition. “Our number one issue in this industry is keeping up with technology and the requirement of having a website that fully meets our needs. This has definitely been one of the bigger challenges because we do so much custom apparel,” said Lali. Competition with big box stores is an additional challenge. “Our company is known for low minimums with a great price point and good quality, but it’s still hard to match some of the big box stores price

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points,” said McTaggart “Being able to custom- ize product is an advantage in this regard.” A third challenge for this value-based company is finding ethically sourced goods. “One thing that the company has struggled with over the 30 years is ensuring our quality of garments being produced in an ethical way, at a good price place overseas. We’ve had to be very hands on with the manufacturing aspect,” said Lali. THE APPAREL: 17 years ago, Lago obtained Canadian manufac- turing distribution rights for Lazy One Sleepwear. “Lazy One has a strong brand image and it’s well known for matching family pajamas and sleep- wear. It’s a good quality product and really fun, cozy designs,” says McTaggart. Lago Apparel handles its own manufacturing and importing. “From the conception of the garment to picking the fabric to getting it sourced overseas to the warehousing to the embellishment, we’re very involved,” said Lali. “Our production development and head of overseas production go overseas several times a year to see everything in person and make sure that it’s the quality and make sure the working standards are what they’ve been promised. “Our factories provide us with required certifications. We work with several government-based organi- zations which have certain requirements for man - ufacturing,” McTaggart says. Lago Apparel works with a variety of corporate customers across Canada suppling all their cor- porate apparel needs. Their customers include just about every industry from large corporations to small businesses and sports teams along with many shops in high tourism areas, retails stores and even hospital gift shops. “We have a very versatile line and a wide customer base. We even supply blank products to some smaller inde- pendent embroider and screen printers,” said McTaggart. Low minimum orders, low lead times and fast turnaround times on custom orders are unique features of the Lago experience. Three in house

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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

THE PHILANTHROPHY: True to their values and philosophy, Lago Apparel works with a number of non-profits and other helping organizations. “It’s a long list. We have supported New Beginnings, an organization that focuses on helping First Nations people in East Vancouver for over 20 years. We support a music school that offers free lessons to underprivileged kids. We supported a group that was sent to Haiti in 2004. There have been many organiza - tions that we’ve given free t shirts and bags with their logo. We’re currently supporting the BC Cancer Foundation, the BC diabetes foundation and local food banks. We distribute jackets and hot food to the less fortunate in downtown Van- couver as well,” said McTaggart. A major philanthropic effort for the company is Clothed in Dignity, the beginning stage of a movement toward a 100% fair trade factory, using 100% fair trade fabric, in Cambodia. Funded primarily by Sat Lali and his family and through private fundraising events, the goal of the project to train and educate eight women whowere previ- ously picking garbage in the dumps in Cambodia. The women are trained to sew while childcare is provided for their children. The first project was Lazy One drawstring bag. “They made 11,000 gift bags, where 100% of the proceeds go back into the project, they have made 300 school uniforms and now 1500 T dresses that we are now selling in our Lago garments catalog,” said McTaggart. The company’s ultimate goal is to create a 100% fair trade factory to lift families out of poverty. “The biggest focus is creating a legitimate living wage for people in these countries. Eventually, we would like for all our garments, to be made in a fair-trade way. Plus, a Canadian made line with the same standards! Fair trade garments are very tough. You have to go all the way back to the cotton being grown - which has to be fair trade - and to actually track that can be tough. But we’re working on it.”

graphic designers keep up with current trends, and work with customers to fulfill their specific vision. “Our sales team loves to have the face to face connection with customers. That fits our family approach and philosophy,” said McTag- gart. “The sales team is mostly in house. We have 3 external reps & 4 internal reps for the whole country. Some of the companies we work with have been friends for 30 years. We were at a wedding for one of our customers last year. It’s really important for us to maintain that friendship over the years,” said McTaggart. Customer inquiries are initially directed to a sales rep and customers are provided with catalogs, price lists and other information. “It’s very common that within the first month of that phone call, we’ll actually show up at your location with samples to really help you get that initial order started,” said Lali. Once sales orders are written, the order goes into the production cycle which includes art graphics and garment proofs. “We don’t go to production until everything has been approved,” said McTaggart.

“The biggest focus is creating a legitimate living wage for people in these countries. Eventually, we would like for all our garments, to be made in a fair-trade way. Plus, a Canadian made line with the same standards!”

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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Growing an ever-evolving business for 25 years COUNTRY MALT GROUP I n 1995, Bryan Bechard and his father, Claude, opened his malt supply business in a lawn mower shed behind his parent’s house with six bags of grain and no customers. Today Country Malt Group supplies an extensive portfolio of malt, hops, and other brewing supplies to hundreds of breweries and distilleries throughout North America. by Anita Flowers

“We started with six bags of malt and no customers.”

Spotlight on Business sat down with Bryan Bechard, President of United Malt Group’s global Warehouse & Distribution business to talk about his growing, ever-evolving business and the 25th year anniversary of Country Malt Group. “I originally started the business with my dad. He retired from his job in 1995. I was pretty new out of college and had always had an interest in owning my own business. I just didn’t know what it was going to be. My brother was a home- brewer and well established in his career and the craft brewing scene was starting to emerge. He suggested that there might be an opportunity to supply malt to home brewers and such,” said Bechard. Bechard started the business out of a lawn mower shed in his dad’s backyard. “We started with six bags of malt and no customers. Those were lean years, but I look back on them fondly as the customer driven focus we continue to have in our business was established back then. The customer leads in your decision making. You adapt your value proposition and your portfolio around the needs of your customers. Country Malt Group began in September of 1995. “I recall going to the county clerk’s office and filing the paperwork to get started. It was North Country Malt Supply to begin. It evolved into Country Malt Group (CMG) after we opened

“The values of our business aren’t just words on a piece of paper. Safety, passion, quality, integrity. They are at the center of how we operate as a business.”

our Chicago facility in 2006. That was called Mid Country Malt.” The decision was made to roll all facilities under a consistent portfolio and in 2007, the brand become Country Malt Group. Bechard, a husband and father of two, lives in upstate New York not far from where the original Country Malt facility was founded. CMG is now part of the United Malt Group, a network of companies spanning North America, the UK and Australia. United Malt Group (UMG) has multiple malting assets with brands and distribution businesses around the globe. UMG includes Great Western Malting and Canada Malting, Bairds Malt and Brewers Select in the UK, Barrett Burston Malting in Australia, and Cryer Malt in Australia and New Zealand. “The values of our business aren’t just words on a piece of paper. Safety, passion, quality, integrity. They are at the center of how we operate as a business.” We’re going to find a way to do it safely or not do it at all. We’re not interested in doing something that could jeopardize the health and well-be - ing of our people, or visitors to our sites.” “If you don’t have any passion in what you do, or belief in what you’re doing, you should find some - thing else to do. We’re very passionate about what we do, about our customers, about our people. We know that customers have a choice. They don’t have to buy from us. We want them to see us as the best value choice every single time. They develop loyalty to our brand, to our service, and it becomes a mutually beneficial relationship, which is what we’re striving for.”

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ents brewers require, along with our vast portfo- lio of malt and hops.” Local warehouses also carry some smaller maltsters regional based products to support the local aspect for our customers.

“Customer wise, I want to be as easy to do business with as possible. I don’t want the customer concerned with my company’s ability to execute. We want our customers focused on running their business.”

CMG supplies customers coast to coast in North America. “We have 13 distribution facili- ties in North America, nine in the US and four in Canada, the latest being Halifax, Nova Scotia, which allows us to reach the Maritimes. Our goal is to be within 24 to 48 hours of where our cus- tomers are enabling shortened lead times. We don’t want our customers to have to take on a bunch of stock. We want to help them manage their working capital and space constraints so they can source only what they need at any given time.” CMG strives to be a one-stop shop for brewer- ies and distilleries and carries a wide portfolio of products. “Malt is the core of our business. However, hops are also essential for our custom- ers and we’re proud to work with Yakima Chief in North America to provide their high-quality hops to our customers. We also offer cleaning products, spices, and numerous other ingredi-

For Bechard, it’s about quality, integrity and building relationships. “If you sell products or services that are of low quality that you yourself don’t believe in, or if you’re untrustworthy and don’t have a high degree of integrity, you will fail to build mutually beneficial relationships necessary for long term success. “Customer wise, I want to be as easy to do business with as possible. I don’t want the customer concerned with my company’s ability to execute. We want our customers focused on running their business. We want to be a partner they can count on every time. That means making sure we get them what they want when they want it how they want it and where they want it every time.” Country Malt Group continues to grow and expand their portfolio. “It’s a constant evolution to make sure we are looking for what’s next. What is it that customer is going to need both today and into the future?

“We have 13 distribution facilities in North America, nine in the US and four in Canada, the latest being Halifax, Nova Scotia, which allows us to reach the Mar- itimes.”

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“We want to be the grocery store for the customer to enable an easy one-stop shop option and avoid customers paying unnec- essary freight fees and/or the need to delay production awaiting arrival of products from multiple vendors.”

“We want to be the grocery store for the customer to enable an easy one-stop shop option and avoid customers paying unnecessary freight fees and/or the need to delay production awaiting arrival of products from multiple vendors. CMG can be found at most brewing events and conferences. “We have a vast, and indus- try-experienced, sales team spread out across North America attendingmost all the industry related events. It’s a great way to talk about products, both current and new additions to our portfolio, and demonstrate support for our customers. CMG celebrates 25 years this year; however, planned events and celebrations are now on hold due to COVID-19. “We may celebrate next year with 25 plus one. We’ll wait to do that until we know it’s safe for our people and our customers to attend those events.” The company remains focused on our customers during these difficult times. “It’s just amazing to me how innovative the North American craft brewer is and how they have and continue to adapt and maneuver their business with addressing the current situation,” said Bechard.

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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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