foodsources
Colleen Dyck ( far left ) finishes a muddy adventure with the staff of GORP clean energy bars . entrepreneurial adventures
by Christopher Hunter
A Winnipeg farmer ventures into the energy bar industry
Nearly a decade ago , Colleen Dyck , founder of GORP clean energy bar , dove from an airplane . She tugged the release cable and the parachute came out tangled , so hoisted herself up the rope , while toppling against air currents , and untwisted them before plummeting to the earth . Dyck is an adventurer . She hang glides , competes in triathlons , and paddles through white-water rapids .
In the midst of this rip-roaring lifestyle , she needed fuel , something fast and nutritious , but found that supplements made of saturated fat and low-quality protein dominated the market . So , she decided to make her own energy bar , and set out to find the perfect ingredients .
Having worked on a farm during college , Dyck relied on her knowledge of agriculture to select each component . Through research , she discovered that organic , vegan , and imported sources have advantages and disadvantages . “ I use ingredients from different sectors , organic , local , and commercial ,” she said .
The honey binding the bar comes from her family ’ s land , while the brown rice powder , chosen because it doesn ’ t cause bloating like other proteins , is procured from Axiom Foods in Los Angeles .
Launching a startup company always involves overcoming hurdles . Dyck ’ s began in 2006 when her farmhouse burned down and she moved , with her husband and four children , to her mother ’ s home in Niverville , Manitoba . This proved to be a blessing in disguise .
At the time , she had a long term goal of building a commercial kitchen , a basecamp for her energy bar enterprise .
Now that her family needed a new home , she had a good excuse to make one .
Dyck , in true entrepreneurial spirit , acted
Photography : Staff photo courtesy of Colleen Dyck ; Vantage Print Shop ( Gorp Energy bar )
10 ciao ! / feb / mar / two thousand fourteen