For the last eight years, Noreen and Mark Borne have owned and operated the Olive Oil Company in Brantford, which has built a strong customer base by offering a variety of high-quality products, including olive oil.
Noreen Borne explained the start of the company.
“We’re lifelong foodies who love to cook at home and travel. Our European trips, especially to Italy, introduced us to truly high-quality balsamic vinegars. Locally, we couldn’t find anything with that same delicious flavor. So, when friends took us to a specialty store in their small town, we realized some places carried these premium products. That discovery fueled our passion, and later, while traveling in Ontario, we came across another similar shop in a different small town, where we met the owner. She spent a lot of time with us, explaining the product, and we could tell that she was very knowledgeable. She would then tell us if we were interested in opening up the shop in the future…to just reach out to us and she would help,” she said. “Mark had been in construction for years, and as for me, I had been in real estate and done a couple of other things, and at that point, we both were ready for a change. We then decided that it would be great to have this type of store in Brantford, because people only get it at certain times of the year or when they are travelling…people could enjoy it all year round. When we first opened…it was a challenge [as] people didn’t appreciate what was there in their backyard. But over the eight years, we have met many who have come to appreciate the olive oil we sell and just how amazing it is. We have worked hard to try to educate the consumer, and I think people have also done their own research, becoming very aware of the health benefits…of a good quality extra virgin olive oil.”
Mark Borne continued his wife’s sentiments about the business and olive oil.
“When we opened the business, people didn’t know how great olive oil was, and they weren’t willing to pay for these premium products. And now, many of our customers tell us they can’t go back to the olive oil sold at the grocery store as they have experienced the difference, and appreciate the fact we only carry the high-quality and freshest products,” he explained. “Another thing is that we found that people’s minds were generally stuck on the geographical place where olive oils came from like Italy…[and that] to them that was the only place olive oil came from…but it actually comes from Africa, Australia, South America… [and] a lot of the olives that come from those countries are originally Spanish or Italian olive trees. Those trees then take on a little bit of a different taste depending on the minerals in the soil that it’s growing in.”
The Olive Oil Company, Brantford at the Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant, is at the Annual Trade Show and Business Town Hall. Since their inception, Noreen and Mark Borne have continued to be part of opportunities to reach their brand to people in the community. Photo courtesy Olive Oil Company (Brantford).
He continued talking about the Olive Oil company, which has been around for 100 years.
“What was really fascinating to us was that our supplier is in the industry. They don’t just buy olive oil…they actually produce olive oil…making them very knowledgeable about the whole process. They also were involved in fair trade farming, which really piqued our interest…helping smaller olive growers, [as they were] being taken advantage of in some parts of the world. So, there is a passion behind it all, and they also wanted to be the best in the world with the quality of olive oil they had drawn us to them. We initially went down and met them, seeing the business and how they were structured,” he stated. “We met the daughters, who are part of the business. One’s a chef, [and] another one’s a chemist. And the chemistry is interesting…every single variety, once it’s crushed, goes to an independent, third lab, laboratory to be tested, because it has to meet a criteria for them to buy it. When it comes from overseas, they do another test, because they have the chemistry standards from the lab to make sure that nothing happened to it…for example, that it didn’t become adulterated in some way. So, we’re getting the best of the best in the world of olive oil. And we now carry over 70 different flavors of olive oils, infused olive oils, [as well as] dark and white balsamic.”
As there are a lot of varieties and virgin ranges when it comes to olive oil, Noreen discussed offering opportunities for customers to try them.
“One of the best parts of shopping here is that you get to sample our products before committing. We really love that because everybody has a different flavor profile that they enjoy. It can be quite fruity. It can be quite bitter. Each person has unique needs and palettes. We often steer people toward a milder olive oil if they’re using it for salads or bread dipping or that sort of thing, and if they’re cooking, we get them a medium to robust olive oil. And again, whether they want that fruitiness, it’s really up to them and their flavor palette, [and] what they like when it comes down to the flavored olive oils,” she said. “We also carry olive oils infused with herbs and spices and botanicals…we have a Tuscan herb that’s very popular [and a] butter infused olive oil, which is vegan…there’s no dairy in it, so that’s very popular as well. And then we have some that are done using a method called agrumato…where the ingredients are fused together like lemons and olives or hot chili peppers and olives, habanero or cayenne.”
Noreen and Mark Borne are pictured here enjoying a drink at the Meuse Brewing Company in Scotland, Ontario. They have relished the chance to support other local businesses and have also partnered in developing cross-promotion campaigns with other businesses. Photo courtesy Olive Oil Company (Brantford).
And through the years, the company has thrived because customers have discovered the value, health benefits, and premium product they get for the price.
“Again, when we first started, our olive oils were expensive, and people would flat out tell us they could get olive oil at their grocery store for ten dollars. And we tell them that it’s simply not the same. Once people started using these premium olive oils, they never look back. We have a retired chef who comes in and has been cooking with regular olive oil during his career… At one point, he told us that he had no idea what a good quality olive oil does to a dish. And we had many more tell us similar experiences when discovering premium olive oil,” Mark explained. “We have customers who drive an hour to get our products…drawing people from London, Cambridge. Kitchener, Hamilton, and Stratford. It’s all about creating the experience for them, [and] educating them. All our products are naturally flavored…nothing is added…no sugars, or synthetic flavoring [which] appeals to the customer. Because we’re seeing more people who are getting to that point in life where they realize they need to change their eating habits…[and] they’re willing to pay the money to get good food.”
Educating the customers has also been about exposing them to ways of using their products.
“What we have in the shop is a little card on each one that will give you an idea of which balsamic vinegar will pair well with that olive oil. And then, conversely, with the balsamic vinegars, there’s a list of olive oils that will pair well with that olive oil. It’s not comprehensive by any means. You can do all kinds of combinations, but it’s really helpful. And we always take time with the customer. We want them to have a great experience in our shop [and] we often start with a quick question, like: ‘Do you lean toward savory or sweet when picking a salad dressing?’ That instantly gives us a direction. From there, we can offer a combination that suits their taste, and we’re usually able to hone in on something they really enjoy,” Noreen said. “But it comes down to educating people. For example, you may never think of this, but using a fruity balsamic vinegar over ice cream…but it’s a really delicious combination…[and] a lot of people use white balsamic to give a little bit of flavoring in their Soda Stream soda water. It’s also giving people a chance to think outside the box and helping them [use these products] in many different applications.”
Nevertheless, as the Borne’s specialty shop approaches ten years in business, success comes from servicing customers from both the local area, in Ontario, as well as across Canada.
“We found that people who come to visit us are not necessarily from this area, so we’ve ended up with customers we ship across Canada now, from the east to the west coast. And there are a lot of stores in between us, but people come in and they tell us they appreciate us taking the time to create a great customer experience. We value our customers, because we wouldn’t be in business without them,” Mark said. “And as for Brantford, it’s a great place to be…people are fiercely loyal to local business. In saying that…through the years, we have cross-promoted with other local businesses [where] they use our product, [while] we promote them and what they do. It’s really helped each other out, especially during the pandemic, but we have continued to work with other businesses. It’s always great to see the camaraderie amongst all the local businesses that we are a part of.”
As Mark Borne explained, the company looks to build value for customers online: “We’ve accumulated over 200 recipes on our website…and they are linked to particular products, so if someone’s shopping, they can click on that flavor and find recipes that are associated with that flavor. As well, over the past few years, our son, Derek Borne, has done over 100 YouTube cooking videos, showing how simply you can use the oils and vinegar. So that’s been very helpful for a lot of people, just understanding what they can do with it.” Photo courtesy Olive Oil Company (Brantford).
Dining and Cooking