Scott DiGuistini and Merissa Myles set out on a five year business plan to bring wholesome, high quality food to the community while doing their part in land stewardship in support of local agriculture farming. Yet, in less than three years, the Comox Valley couple surpassed their goals and have taken their business, Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt, to a whole new level.

Production has grown beyond the ‘mom and pop’ shop initially set on their Old Island Highway site to become a yogurt supplier for top restaurants, to 125 independent and franchise grocers on Vancouver Island, now with the recent additions of 26 Thrifty Foods locations, and expanding in stores throughout the Okanagan.

Myles credits their success to commitment, hers and her husband’s and their two young children and to dedicated and well trained staff. DiGuistini credits success to timing.

“Customers are more interested today in the characteristics of their food than five years ago,” explains DiGuistini.

“Traceability,” adds Myles. “Grass-fed dairy is a huge concern and people are more aware.”

Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt is 100% Canadian Milk Certified and receives their milk supply from Birkdale Farm in Comox. DiGuistini and Myles built their facility purposefully to produce the raw milk themselves and to ensure freshness and quality in all 11 of their yogurt products free of skim milk powder, thickeners and fillers.

The 100% Canadian Milk symbol Tree Island proudly displays on their product labels also guarantees that the local milk supplied is free from antibiotics and bovine growth hormones.

“We created a business for improving our community that supports local agriculture,” explains Myles. “The food industry can be very rewarding and bringing high quality food to consumers has a positive impact.”

Now with business more than doubling in the last year alone, Tree Island relies upon twice the amount of fresh local milk and up to 120 pounds of BC honey for the cream top yogurts each week. This is good news for the local agriculture industry and the BC Government has taken note.

The couple’s commitment to local agriculture earned the company a $46,331.25 grant recently from the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia and the Buy Local Program.

Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt gained quick popularity in BC with its delicious recipes that use 100% fresh local dairy. The company combines the talent of co-owner and microbiologist Scott DiGuistini’s scientific experience with wife Merissa Myles’ passion for locally sourced ingredients to create a high-quality, grass-fed yogurt not otherwise available in Canada. Tree Island’s commitment to local agriculture was recognized recently when it received $46,331.25 from the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia and the Buy Local Program in a 50/50 cost matching program.

“With the assistance of the Buy Local Program, it is great to see Vancouver Island’s Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt and their tasty products being made available to consumers throughout the province,” shared Comox Valley MLA Don McRae on behalf of Minister of Agriculture Norm Letnick. “When we buy local, we support B.C. agriculture and ensure our dollars stay in our communities.”

DiGuistini and Myles’ commitment to the local food movement and preservation of the land also led to their research in improving packaging that reduce the environmental footprint. They found a European engineered packaging product that is highly innovative, sustainable and uses 50% less plastic than most because it is reinforced with cardboard sleeves.

Tree Island introduced its new packaging earlier this year making them the first company in Canada to pioneer this new lightweight plastic container.

Tree Island will save 26,000 pounds of plastic by switching to these containers for its entire product line. DiGuistini notes that the environmental impact from the other larger competitive brands could be extraordinary if they were to do the same.

Funds received from the Buy Local Program will be used for marketing and promotional material such as the recently launched Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt Recipe Contest.

Myles launched the campaign in effort to build broader awareness and encourage customers to not only buy wholesome and locally sourced food but to explores it’s many uses.

Yogurt recipes shared with Tree Island enter into a draw for a chance to win a tour of Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt and two other local food producers or farms with Island Gourmet Trails. The prize includes lunch in the Comox Valley. The recipe contest runs until November 9. Details are available at the Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt website. 

Reprinted from the Comox Valley Echo, Friday, October 16, 2015

Mary Lee
Owner/Director
MGG Communications & Consulting Inc.
250-792-3428
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