MCEDD Recent News Items

Draper Girls Country Farm Value Added Processing Expands with MCEDD Support

June 2, 2013 – Draper Girls Country Farm has been in the family since 1962.  Theresa Draper bought it from her father in 1981 and has been running it ever since.  She expanded from running the orchard to also include attending farmers’ markets in the Portland area, building a farm stand, and increasing her u-pick presence.  Value added agriculture products are another focus for the Draper Girls Country Farm . They include jams, dried fruit, and many varieties of cider available fresh pressed or frozen.  In addition, Theresa is raising grass fed lambs and goats and has eggs available. They also have a vacation rental that supports the growing agri-tourism market.  Draper Girl’s received a loan from MCEDD to support these changes to her business.  This year, Draper Girl’s is looking forward to a strong harvest, so stop in and try the cider made fresh every week throughout the year or to pick up some apples!  http://drapergirlscountryfarm.com   [Continue Reading]

Winery Grows with MCEDD Financing

May 30, 2013 – May 2013 Loan Client Profile: Alexis and Juliet Pouillon opened Domaine Pouillon Winery in 2005 near Lyle, Washington. Their enterprise started small with just a few barrels of wine, and now has grown to about 3,850 cases of wine produced a year with 200 members in their wine club. Domaine Pouillon is currently building a new tasting room will have permanent restrooms, food service and comfortable seating areas. It is scheduled to open this summer! In anticipation of growth in business and an increasing number of weekend visitors resulting from their new tasting room, the owners of Domaine Pouillon decided to seek additional funding through MCEDD’s loan program. MCEDD approved the additional loan in March of 2013. The project will provide 2-3 new tasting room staff. For more information about Domaine Pouillon visit their website at www.domainepouillon.com   [Continue Reading]

Value Added Food Processing Business Grows at the Port with MCEDD Funds

April 22, 2013 – April 2013- Columbia PhytoTechnology, a MCEDD loan client since 2011, specializes in powder production, particularly of fruits and vegetables, for the food, beverage, nutritional, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries. Columbia PhytoTechnology dehydrates fruits and vegetables into specialized products using its patented Radiant Zone Drying (RZD) technology.  This process allows the company to preserve the high nutritional value of such substances as vitamin C in its RZD acerola powder and is considered far superior to standard freeze-dried products. Owners Mark Savarese, Kerry Ringer, and Andres Sena have guided the company through research and development and into commercial production over the last decade.  With no signs of slowing, Columbia PhytoTechnology now employs over 50 people in its new 70,000 square foot production facility located on Steelhead Way in The Dalles.   [Continue Reading]

Boda’s Kitchen: Expanding Local Culinary Business

June 28, 2012 – Having been passionate about all things food for as long as she can remember, Sirota Johnston dreamed about starting her own culinary business. Sirota Johnston, and her husband and business partner Matt, came to MCEDD as they were putting together financing to purchase the former South Bank Kitchen space to move their fledgling catering company into a storefront where they could expand the services they offer their customers.  Boda’s Kitchen is now a gourmet delicatessen, market and full service catering company that is passionate about providing “comfort gourmet” food using high quality, seasonal ingredients sourced locally whenever possible. Their loan from MCEDD helped them purchase the new space and grow their business.  For more information on what you can find at Boda’s this time of year, check out their website.   [Continue Reading]