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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, O ct ob er 22 ,2 02 0 | 16 coupon TIRES! All Sizes All Brands 20 Armstrong Avenue, Georgetown We have Anco Winter and All Season Wiper Blades! only $7.49/each installation available ehicles + TAX Most Vehicles $3995 only • Oil Change • Antifreeze Check • Lubrication • 52 point inspection • Battery & Wiper Blade Check • FREE FLUID TOP UPS MAinTenAnce Special!* *Upgrade to synthetic from $15 extra *Up to 5 Ltr. most standard vehicles 905-877-1237 ✃ ✃ 52 point inspection Heavy Duty Diesel Oil Change $149.95+ TAX *T6 Rotella synthetic upgrade $239.95 *most standard heavy duty trucks up to 11L Euro Oil Change Full Synthetic $169.95 + TAX *most standard euro vehicles up to 8L Certified Mechanics specializing in diesel, euro and standard vehicles. Best Prices We Will Work On Any Size or Type of Diesel Vehicle "All Types and Sizes we offer Service, Repair and Annual Safety" A Georgetown business is being recognized as one of the companies with the top growth in the country for 2020. Terra Cotta Foods was among the top 400 Canadi- an businesses in terms of growth according to an an- nual list published by the Globe and Mail. While the list was dom- inated by tech and manu- facturing businesses, a handful of food producers made the cut. Terra Cotta Foods ranked at 395, with a three- year revenue growth of 67 per cent. "Our growth has been exponential," said CEO of Terra Cotta Foods Jason Brass. "But the last three or four months of our fiscal year were impacted by CO- VID-19." Had the pandemic not happened, Brass said he believed the company would have ranked much higher on the list. "When the pandemic first hit, most people were panicking food-wise," Brass said. Consumers focused on buying pantry essentials in the early months of the pandemic, but slowly be- gan returning to more nor- mal shopping practices. Prior to 2012, the compa- ny had solely focused on selling to schools and fund- raising. "The goal was to diversi- fy," Brass said. "To grow our school business and to put a business plan in place around that nucleus." Over the following years, Terra Cotta Foods Inc. began co-pack (con- tract packing) and private label services, providing their range of products to a number of well-known On- tario retailers. "The private label has been our primary source of growth," he said. While revenue from schools and fundraisers are still an important part of the company's revenue, Brass said, the sales mix has had to change. "We're having to adjust, and adjust quickly, to these new challenges," he said. Private label is the com- pany's main source of growth. Another key to Terra Cotta Food's continued growth is a focus on niche markets. One facility houses two distinct plants, a certified gluten-free plant, and a regular plant, both are cer- tified nut-free facilities. On top of that, Brass said, Terra Cotta Foods seeks out and finds ways to commercialize on food trends from keto to vegan to dairy-free products. "There isn't any secret to it," Brass said. "It's hard work and homing in on some of the trends if you can get on them quickly." BUSINESS Jason Brass, president and CEO of Terra Cotta Foods Inc. in front of the Terra Cotta Foods building. Despite the pandemic, the company maintained year-over-year growth, and was named one of the top growth companies in the country. Bryan Myers/Torstar TERRA COTTA FOODS AMONG TOP GROWTH COMPANIES IN CANADA BRYAN MYERS bmyers@metroland.com TERRA COTTA FOODS INC. Rank of Globe and Mail growth list: 395 Growth over the last three years: 67 per cent Number of employees: 52 Founded: 1984 Address: 36 Armstrong Ave #9, Georgetown Website: terracottacookies.com "We're having to adjust, and adjust quickly, to these new challenges." - CEO of Terra Cotta Foods Jason Brass