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CEO Spotlight: John W Roulac, Nutiva
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He started by selling blackberries to his neighbors as a young boy and later founded one of the most innovative companies in the health food industry. John W Roulac is a man who lives and works for what he truly believes in – healthy, holistic living. His goal is to move beyond conventional food industry practices to embrace a bigger picture that supports the long-term well-being of humanity as a whole. The Food and Beverage Journal chats with John to find out more about his passion for organic foods.
Food and Beverage Journal: When did you know that you wanted to work in
the Food and Beverage industry?
John Roulac: I began my food career quite by accident as a young boy of
10, when I saw there were extra blackberries in the field near our home. I
picked them and sold them door-to-door in re-used berry baskets I got from my
mom. Later as a teenager, I caught and sold fresh crab at docks where boaters
tied up.
FBJ: How do you maintain a balance between your professional and personal
life?
JR: An excellent question. Running a fast growing, international organic
food brand takes a lot of focus and time. I currently work 7 days a week, yet I
make sure to take time to workout, hike, and have fun. I competed in a triathlon
in 2007, and am training for another event.
FBJ: Who were your role models when you joined the industry? Why?
JR: I think Gary Hishberg, CEO/Founder of Stonyfield Yogurt, and Steve
Demos, founder of Silk, exemplify how one can combine organic values with market
leadership – and come out as the brand leader.
FBJ: Walk me through the initial thought of setting up Nutiva and to what
it is right now?
JR: I simply started up Nutiva in 1999, to assist Canadian hemp farmers
who had extra hempseed and needed a market. Our line of organic hemp foods and
coconut oils are now sold in 6,000 stores across the US, UK, and Canada.
FBJ: Where do you think you have outsmarted your competitors?
JR: I made a conscious choice for Nutiva to have the highest percent of
organic hemp food offerings. Taking the high road in terms of giving back to the
industry through our 1% of sales donation to groups promoting sustainable
agriculture. We gave away $70K in 2007 and our customers love to be part of
creating solutions to the pressing issues of today.
FBJ: What was the biggest challenge Nutiva faced during the start-up
phase?
JR: In 1999, the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) blocked all imports of
hempseed foods in
our first year. It was a hard blow but we fought back with PR and won that
round. Then in 2001, the DEA attempted to outlaw the importation of all hemp
foods, so we created an industry-wide coalition including Dr Bronners, Nature's
Path, Ruth's Hemp Foods, and sued the DEA in federal court. In 2004, the 9th
Circuit ruled in our favor and it's case law now. We almost went out of business
many times during this rather dark time for Nutiva. While hemp is a non-drug
crop, the federal government chose to ignore science and free trade. Lucky for
us we survived, and as the saying goes "what does not kill you, makes you
stronger."
FBJ: Can you share one or two of your company's most exciting successes?
JR: Nutiva's organic hemp protein was voted Best New Supplement in 2003
by retailers at the Natural Products Expo. Helping pioneer organic, extra-virgin
coconut oil as the healthiest all-purpose-cooking oil has been another
highlight. We have over-come the misconception that coconut oil is unhealthy,
which was started by the soy margarine industry in the 1960s. In 2008, we just
sold our millionth jar of Nutiva Coconut Oil!
FBJ: How do you visualize the Food and Beverage industry a decade from
now?
JR: With rising food and fuel costs, having an efficient supply chain is
vital. Firms that accomplish this and keep an eye of moving towards a more
healthy and sustainable world should be well positioned for these challenging
times.
FBJ: What kind of people can make the best CEOs in this industry?
JR: I don't think there is any set formula. Being passionate about food
and building a great team is a good start.
FBJ: Is finding Food and Beverage professionals a challenge?
JR: Recruiting the best team possible can be challenging for sure.
FBJ: What are the advantages of working at Nutiva?
JR: We are committed to a positive work environment and creating exciting
new food products that make a difference in our customers' lives.
FBJ: How do you want to position the company in the next 5 years?
JR: To be a strong, values-driven, independent organic food brand, that
sets the latest trends in healthy foods.
FBJ: How do you hire the best people? What are the top 3 things you look
for when hiring?
JR: Strong communication skills, organic values and a proven track
record.
FBJ: Physical fitness comes as second nature to you. Would you share with
us some of your fitness secrets?
JR: Health is our greatest wealth. Practicing yoga and walking, and
eating as much organic food is part of my secret to keeping healthy.
FBJ: You have followed a holistic lifestyle for over 20 years. What
advice do you have for people considering making the change to a more holistic
lifestyle?
JR: Start today and do what you can to improve your health.
John W. Roulac is CEO of Nutiva, an organic hemp food company focused on providing high-nutrition hemp-based products. He founded two other successful companies, Hemptech and Harmonious Technologies. John has authored “Backyard Composting” and co-authored many other books on hemp and is an expert in composting and industrial hemp. John is a well-known speaker on the radio and other media and has been quoted widely for industrial hemp-related articles. For interview feedback, contact John at
john@nutiva.com
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