Conquering the (world) restaurant market€¦ · Today, that simple solution has evolved into 7shifts, a restaurant-speciﬁc scheduling tool used by about 2,300 restaurants, 85 per

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www.economy.gov.sk.ca Volume 32 } FALL 2016Saskatchewan’s quarterly newsletter on people and business engaged in economic growth

Conquering the (world) restaurant marketBy Dave Yanko

Saskatchewan NOW! } FALL 2016 1

It all started about 10 years ago when Jordan Boesch decided to helphis father with shift scheduling at the Quiznos restaurant the latteroperates in Regina. It was a messy situation.

“I watched him do scheduling at the back of Quiznos using an Excelprintout, and he’d actually assemble a lot of the pieces using stickynotes,’’ recalls Boesch, who’s 29 and the CEO of 7shifts, a popularrestaurant scheduling software. “Staff would phone to say they can’twork Friday, for instance, because they had school or a dance class orsoccer. And he’d have to deal with all these shift trades.’’

Boesch says the solution he came up with was simple. But his explana-tion reveals as much about his budding entrepreneurial spirit as hisproblem solving ability.

“So I taught myself how to program,’’ he begins, “and I built somethingthat allowed him to upload the Excel document to a website so staffcould log in and download it. It eliminated the phone calls. at wasthe starting point.’’

Today, that simple solution has evolved into 7shifts, a restaurant-specificscheduling tool used by about 2,300 restaurants, 85 per cent of themin the United States, 5 per cent in Canada and the remainder scatteredaround the world in places as far flung as Kyrgyzstan. And there’s noslowdown in sight. A year ago, Boesch’s Saskatoon-based company hadthree employees. Today there are 17, and the career page on the 7shiftswebsite is advertising openings for four more “smart, eager and pas-sionate’’ people. In the one-year period ending in January 2016, 7shiftsexperienced a 300 per cent increase in sales.

Jordan Boesch of 7shifts Photo by: Kevin Hogarth

“Out of sight, out of mind’’ applies particu-larly well to sewer pipes. Until there’s abackup.

at’s when “Canada’s failing infrastructure’’becomes much more than an item on thenightly news or pothole on the daily com-mute. Entrepreneur Harold Torres believeshis technology can save money and putminds at ease.

A year after arriving in Saskatoon fromColombia in 1998, Torres landed a job work-ing in the City of Saskatoon’s water and sewerdepartment. It didn’t him take long to learnthat corrosion and roots were taking a big tollon sewer pipes in the city. And that set hismind churning.

“After seeing so many problems, I wanted tocreate my own fix for these lines,’’ says Torres,founder, president and CEO of CulebraSewer and Water Works (“culebra’’ means“snake’’ in Spanish). “I wanted to find a reallygood application.’’

In 2009, he switched city departments toavoid any potential conflict of interest, pur-chased a mechanical snake for clearing drainsand started working for himself, part timeafter work and on weekends. Soon he wasfacing a major decision. “I was coming homeat 11 or 11:30 every night,’’ Torres recalls.“at’s when I decided to go full time.’’

It wasn’t easy leaving behind a secure job withgood benefits. But six years later, Culebraemploys three people, boasts sales of around$400,000 and is growing at a snappy rate.And much of the reason for Torres’s successlies in that application he dreamed of findingwhile working for the city.

Culebra specializes in relining old sewerpipes—and is a licensee for Nu Flow, a com-pany that manufactures a proprietary reliningsystem in Oshawa, Ont. Relining can bedone as part of a fix for clogged or corrodedpipes or it can be used for preventive main-tenance, before bigger problems arise. ereare a number of benefits to relining ratherthan replacing sewer pipes, and a projectTorres recently completed at a century-oldbuilding on the University of Saskatchewancampus illustrates some of the main ones.

Built in the early 1900s, the sewer line at thecampus building is made of clay tile, as arethose of many old homes in Saskatoon.Water and roots in the joints caused crackingand blockages in the 34-metre “connector’’that leads from the building to the city’s sewerline beneath busy College Drive. Torres saysbuilding maintenance staff asked him toresolve some issues they were experiencingwith the sewer system in the building, whichincludes a residential component. Clearingthe pipe of roots fixed the immediate prob-

lem, but his inspection showed it would onlybe a temporary fix.

“We approached them and said ‘We can puta sewer liner in here, and we can do it with-out affecting the residents,’’’ he recalls. Andthat’s what Culebra did.

Instead of replacing the pipe by jackhammer-ing through cement floors and walls, digginga trench out to the main sewer line and halt-ing east- and west-bound traffic on CollegeDrive for at least a day, Torres relined the pipewith a mix of epoxies that will extend its lifeby 50 years. While city officials approved theproject before he proceeded, Torres had nodoubt they were paying close attention to thejob. “If something went wrong, they wouldhave been really upset with us because theywould have had to have closed one of themajor bridges people use to go back and forthto work every day.’’ Torres completed theproject over two nights with minimal incon-venience to residents.

Homeowners are showing a good deal ofinterest in the new technology as well. “Weget more calls now than ever before from peo-ple who say ‘Oh, we heard you’re doing sewerliners; can you come out?’’’ He says preven-tive maintenance employing the reliningtechnology is “definitely a good investment’’for people living in older parts of the citywhere roots and corrosion in sewer pipes arecommon.

In this respect, Culebra’s witty motto says itall: “When a flush is better than a full house.’’

2 Saskatchewan NOW! } FALL 2016

Culebra: A pipe dream come trueBy Dave Yanko

“We getmore callsnow thanever before…”


Harold Torres of Culebra Sewer and Water Works Photo by: Kevin Hogarth


Regina Farmers’ Market changes with the timesBy Dave Yanko

Dee Kitsch and Nikko Snyder of the Regina Farmers’ Market Photo by: Red Storm Photography

After more than 40 years in operation, theRegina Farmers’ Market (RFM) is at theepicentre of converging trends. Whilemanagers positioned the non-profit to takeadvantage of some of these trends, othersarrived on the winds of change. And busi-ness has never been better.

“ere’s a trend toward local food and sup-porting local business,’’ says Dee Kitsch,marketing manager at RFM, whichmarked its 40th anniversary in 2015. “Andthere’s a worldwide trend toward superfruits and super foods. People realize thebest place to get the healthiest produce isat the farmers’ market.’’

Kitsch has enjoyed a first-hand view ofthese emerging trends. As the daughter ofRegina’s Laurie Kitsch, better knownaround the RFM as e Cookie Lady, sherecalls hanging out at her mom’s marketbooth 20 years ago. e changes havebecome all the more apparent since shebegan working at RFM in 2010.

“When I was a kid I used to see the hippiecrowd,’’ Kitsch recalls, adding a secondgroup was comprised of elderly ladies andgentlemen who bused to market onSaturdays to collect a week’s worth of gro-ceries. “ese days it’s quite a bit different.We still have the hippies—we welcome allthe hippies! But I would say our main

demographic now is young families withchildren.’’

From May to October, the RFM operateson Saturdays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m.to 1 p.m. on the 2100 and 2200 blocks of12th Avenue, sometimes “wrappingaround’’ onto the 1900 block of ScarthStreet. In March and April and fromOctober to December, the RFM operatesindoors on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.at the Shrine Centre on 2065 HamiltonStreet. Kitsch says anywhere from 8,000 to15,000 people visit the outdoor market ona summer morning, and up to 85 vendorsare present selling their produce and prod-ucts.

Fresh produce remains the most popularoffering at RFM. “Saskatoon berries are thenumber 1 bestseller.’’ However, changinglifestyles have brought about changes inproduct at the RFM. Some people con-tinue to shop for the quality ingredientsthey use for cooking or canning. ButKitsch says that today, the majority of peo-ple are opting for convenience over cook-ing.

“And instead of going to the grocery storefor processed convenience foods, they’recoming to the farmers’ market for home-made convenience foods. Frozen mealshave become really popular in the last littlewhile.’’

Kitsch says there’s also been a change inawareness about food and its sources. “Atthe farmers’ market, food hasn’t travelled alot to get to you. It’s fresher. And it comesfrom someone you can actually talk to faceto face. ere’s a trust that’s built up.’’ ischange in awareness also applies to thetypes of produce available at RFM.Saskatchewan used to be known for itswheat, canola, crab apples and saskatoonberries. “Now we have a vendor who growsapricots, sour cherries, peaches and grapes.We have another vendor who grows

tomatillos, the Mexican green tomato.’’

Kitsch says RFM has changed with thetimes to ensure its survival. She credits AdaBennett, her predecessor, with steering anew course that’s led to the market’s grow-ing popularity. Bennett replaced legacymedia ads with a new focus on engaging ayounger demographic through socialmedia. She also launched “Market Underthe Stars,’’ a ursday evening event that’sheld several times each summer. Kitsch says“Market Under the Stars’’ has morphedinto a very popular food- and drink-tastingaffair. And while a few regular vendors stillparticipate, the main purpose of the eventis to have people taste local food andliquor.

“It’s hoped the customer will go, ‘Hey, thissausage is awesome. I’m going to buy it andtry it for dinner.’’’ Kitsch says “MarketUnder the Stars’’ is contributing to Regina’sresurgent downtown nightlife, as well.

Farmers’ markets have reached a pointwhere they either keep up with changingtimes or “fall behind and fold,’’ says Kitsch.RFM has a strategic marketing plan and isprepared and willing to try new productsand services that align with the plan.Kitsch says RFM’s traditional fare—pro-duce, pies, jams and jellies—“isn’t goinganywhere.’’ But the market has workedhard to become more professional and toattract new, younger customers. It’s been alittle bit lucky, too.

“Farmers’ markets are cool right now. Andthat helps.’’


“Farmers’markets arecool rightnow. ”


Family farm proves fertile It’s a funny life. Allen Zak had his heart seton working for NASA or an aeronauticalengineering firm. He spent four years atthe University of Saskatchewan studyingengineering and majoring in physics.Today, he owns and operates a fast-growingstartup that makes Zak Organics CrunchyPeas snacks from peas grown on his 6,000-acre farm near Fir Mountain, Sask.

“When I was living in the city, I’d go outto gas up the car up and I could smell freshgrain on the wind,’’ recalls Zak. “I couldsmell the combines running. It was stillpulling. I realized my real love was agricul-ture and business.’’

He returned to his family’s fourth-genera-tion farm in 1997 and began taking overoperations from his father, who was run-

ning a conventional mixed farm consistingof 500 acres and 40 cows. While his wifeMarilyn taught school at nearbyGlentworth, Zak began accumulating landand farming it in a conventional manner.But he’d been concerned about the use ofchemicals in farming for a long time. Hesays he saw the writing on the wall duringa 2007 trip to visit his brother in London.

By Dave Yanko

From left: Mike, Annette, Marilyn, Allen, Cole and Brody of Zak Organics Photo by: Cal Fehr

“I was checking out a few stores and theywere all about organic,’’ says Zak, 45. “AndI was like, ‘You know what; this is wherewe’re going. ey’re just 10 or 15 yearsahead of us.’’’

He returned home and listed his cropsprayer with an auction company. “I actu-ally got a couple of thousand dollars morethan I paid for it.’’ He launched his career

as an organic farmer and today growsspring wheat, durum, kamut, flax andlentils in addition to green peas.

Zak began thinking about starting anorganic food company around 2008. Hesays he realized he didn’t have the businessbackground or knowledge to pursue hisnew dream, so he enrolled in an executiveMBA program at the University of Regina,a two-year course designed for mid-levelmanagers and others who are established intheir careers. Marketing, his classmates toldhim, would be key to his success. Moregood advice came from an organic foodsofficial during an annual inspection ofZak’s operation. Check out theSaskatchewan Food Industry DevelopmentCentre in Saskatoon, he told Zak. In 2015,with help from a grant from theSaskatchewan Agri-Value Initiative pro-gram, Zak entered into a partnership withthe food centre to develop, manufactureand market crunchy pea snacks, which arepopular elsewhere in the world but far lessso in North America. Marilyn serves asCFO, relative Daena McMurdo is chiefmarketing officer and a partner in the com-pany, and sons, sisters and other relativeslend a hand.

“We had a basic idea of what we wanted,but weren’t exactly sure how to get there,’’Zak recalls. “So it was a process that wewent through with the food centre.’’ Aftermuch experimenting with pea varieties,organic spices and cooking techniques, ZakOrganics Crunchy Peas went into produc-tion in March 2016 and “sales and produc-tion are growing quickly.’’

Zak produces three flavours of pea snacks,including Sea Salt & Lime and SmokeyBBQ. But the fan favourite is GardenHerb. “When we open up a bag of Garden

Herb, it’s like the entire room turns into agarden of dill,’’ he says. He delivers the rawpeas to the food centre and trucks the fin-ished, packaged product back to FirMountain, located 40 kilometres north ofthe U.S. border. Orders taken online aredelivered by post to points across Canada,sometimes with free shipping.

e crunchy pea product is a healthy alter-native to traditional snacks such as potatochips. It’s a Canadian Organic Certified,non-GMO product that’s high in plant-based protein and fibre, contains no artifi-cial flavours or colours, and is free ofcholesterol and trans and saturated fats.

Zak says a strong online presence is anessential piece of his marketing effort.“We’re on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram,Twitter. I can’t imagine trying to develop afood company in rural Saskatchewan with-out social media.’’ However, he believes hismost effective marketing tool is the freesample, especially when presented in per-son. “I haven’t found anything better thanfarmers’ markets to get our name outthere,’’ he says, adding he loves to speakwith shoppers and answer their questions.“We give out about a thousand sampleseach time at both the Regina andSaskatoon farmers’ markets.’’ e companywebsite features a list of stores where theproduct is available.

Meantime, Zak’s fast growth is creatingnew challenges.

“Eventually, we’re going to have our ownplant with our own staff,’’ he says, notingthe food centre has been most helpful, butits focus is development not heavy produc-tion. “At that point, we can really take theharness off and run with it.’’


ground for Zak Organics


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In a voice that’s confident yet matter of fact, Boesch says somethingthat’s surely never before been uttered in Saskatchewan. “We’ve got agreat opportunity here to conquer the restaurant market.’’ Yes, he’s talk-ing about the world restaurant market. And his angel investors inSilicon Valley and big league point-of-sale partners elsewhere in theU.S. clearly believe his company has a shot at it.

What 7shifts does so well is soothe “pain points’’ for restaurant man-agers. For example, employees can trade shifts using a mobile app thatnotifies the manager after the swap has occurred. “It’s all automatedthrough the phone now,’’ says Boesch. “ere’s less talking and less timeinvolved; you can do it on the go.’’ 7shifts can also be used to help amanager determine when to end an employee’s shift when businesstails off—an employee leaving early under such circumstances is a com-mon practice in the industry. e program also includes a logbook thatallows a manager finishing a shift to update the next manager on what’sbeen going on in the restaurant.

Boesch says there’s only one way to learn about all the various painpoints experienced by restaurant managers.

“You have to spend a lot of time with them. You can’t just go in thereblind. You have to be armed with the information you need to buildout something that’s going to solve a problem.’’ at approach appearsto be working very well. “Managers report saving 80 per cent of theirtime using 7shifts. If they used to spend five hours on scheduling,they’re doing it in one hour using 7shifts.’’

7shifts received angel investment money arising from its participationin an accelerator program in Silicon Valley as well as venture capitalfrom other investors in California and Toronto. “ese people have alot of expertise in tech companies, in helping them scale, helping themwith advice. And they have a vast network of people who are reallysmart and who’ve done this before.’’

Boesch’s Silicon Valley investors wanted him to relocate 7shifts to theirneighbourhood. It wasn’t that they wanted to micromanage theirinvestment, he says. ey just wanted Boesch and his staff to be in anecosystem where there’s an abundance of help any time it’s needed. “It’smore that they want you to be part of this exclusive party that’s hap-pening. It’s not necessarily the case that they are always at this party,but their friends are at the party. And all their friends are really smartand they’re going to talk to you.’’

But Boesch told the Californians he didn’t want to leave Saskatchewan.“We want to build our company here,’’ he says, adding world-classexpertise is never more than a Skype call away.

“I love Saskatchewan. I think there’s great opportunity here. I think wecan build our own ecosystem here and succeed here.’’

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Conquering the (world) restaurant market

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Conquering the (world) restaurant market€¦ · Today, that simple solution has evolved into 7shifts, a restaurant-speciﬁc scheduling tool used by about 2,300 restaurants, 85 per