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History of Sunprime
Sun Prime Extracts is a fully integrated manufacturer of premium functional food ingredients, based out of Russell, Manitoba in the heart of the Asessippi Parkland.
What started out as a small family venture continues to grow and expand as new markets are identified. Sun Prime is strongly committed to producing top quality products through establishment of sound quality control practices and high production standards.
Sun Prime Extracts Ltd. was incorporated in Manitoba in 2005 to investigate alfalfa fractionation for the functional food and nutraceutical markets. It is owned and operated by Garry Halwas.
Garry began experimenting in 2005, extracting and analyzing juice from a variety of crops for nutritional content. The alfalfa juice caught the attention of Dr. Nancy Ames at the Cereal Research Center (CRC) located at the University of Manitoba. Analysis indicated concentrations of lutein in both the juice and the pulp comparable to the high lutein extractions from marigolds and spinach. Further experiments at the Food Development Center (FDC) in Portage involved drying the product to a powder to increase the versatility of applications and stability. The resulting product was a concentrated, vibrant green, fine textured alfalfa powder with a super-concentrated dense, fibrous, dark green alfalfa paste by-product. All research and feedback from scientists and health professionals to date has indicated that this lutein-rich powder is a new and innovative health product worth pursuing.
An initial market assessment was conducted by Kelwin Management Consulting in early 2006 followed by a test launch of the product at the Health Ingredients tradeshow in Japan (HI JAPAN) in the fall of 2006. Based on the positive results, Sun Prime constructed a mobile press and extraction unit (MPEU) in August 2007. The mobile unit enables immediate juicing of the cut alfalfa to maintain peak nutritional profile.
Our pure Canadian alfalfa product launched in August 2006 and has received enthusiastic approval through the scientific community, professional chefs and health conscious consumers! We live in a land rich in natural resources that is capable of producing some of the world’s top premium products. The land is ours to enjoy, respect, cultivate and promote all around the globe.