September 10, 2005

Leading Flax Seed Suppliers: Part V

flax seed field
This is a continuation of our analysis of the leading flaxseed suppliers at the base of the flaxseed industry pyramid.


Midlake Specialty Food Products

Midlake is a private company based out of Arborg Manitoba. They supply bagged and bulk flaxseed. I wasn't able to find a website for them, but it appears that they are a larger operation. They've also recently started a biodiesel plant; Bifrost Bio-Blends.

Northern Lights Flax

Northern Lights Flax is a private company based out of Surrey, British Columbia. They sell whole flaxseeds in 500g, 5 kg and 25 kg bags. Organic and conventional flax are available. They note that their whole flaxseed has a shelf life of over one year if stored (unground) at room temperature. Their website has not been updated for about two years. It's hard to say whether they have a successful and growing business.

Northern Quinoa Corp

Northern Quinoa is a private company based out of Kamsack, Saskatchewan. They specialize in processing and distributing quionoa but also deal with other grains including flaxseed. They were founded in 1995.

Packaging ranges from one pound to two thousand pound totes with fifty pound poly bags being the most common. Order sizes range from ten pounds to container loads which are shipped throughout Canada, United States, Mexico and Europe. Their flax seed products include milled brown flax, golden flax, golden milled and brown flax.

Parent Seed Farms Ltd.

Parent Seed Farms is located in St. Joseph, Manitoba. They have 35 employees and have been operating for 36 years. For human consumption, they export peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas. Their flax seed exports are limited to birdfood consumption. For this reason we won't add them to our short list.

Pizzey’s Milling & Baking Co.

Here's a company that specializes only in flax seeds. Pizzey's Milling was established in 1991. They started as a family farming operation, became a bakery and then, according to their website, evolved into "North America's largest, most experienced specialty-flaxseed ingredient supplier."

They have distribution centers in Angusville, Manitoba, Gurnee, Illinois, St Jospeh, Montana, Buffalo New York and Etobicoke, Ontario. This company definitely goes on our short list.


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The above photo is a Flax field, in Saskatchewan. The artist is Michael Lewis.

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