SUPPORTING PARTNERS
Friend of the Industry : Mark HillsHills Foods Ltd. has been in the game long enough to understand the meaning of good taste and the importance of good health. Its founder and president, Mark Hills, has been walking the Northern Tundra and exploring alternative protein supplies of every variety for close to 20 years. On the piscine side of the foodservice equation at the start of his professional life, Hills first heard the call of the wild in 1986 when Vancouver played host to the world for Expo 86. As new buildings began springing up, forever changing the face of Vancouver, so too did fresh-thinking culinary concepts as top BC chefs began experimenting more widely with caribou, muskox, venison and buffalo. Expo 86 blew the barnyard gate wide open and the food scene has never been the same since. A student of the University of British Columbia at the time, Hills was attending the Marketing and Sales Management program and developed a business plan to acquire a rabbit processing plant in Mission, BC. Since the plant had closed a few months earlier, the supply of fresh rabbit meat to the North American market had seriously dipped. With a sound-minded business plan and an initial investment of $5000, he made the leap from a sales and marketing position with Albion Fisheries Ltd. to Master of the Game. Alright, so he was just dealing with bunnies back then, but Hills quickly recognized that there was a bigger, wilder market awaiting and within the first year expanded his offerings. First up, were value-added cuts of local free range pheasant, then wild boar, then buffalo, then venison...then the phone really started to ring. Restaurants and savvy locals were going wild for the full-flavoured, low-fat and all natural proteins now available. Clearing the red and setting his sights on greater pastures, Hills jumped out of the hare business in 1992, contracted the rabbit processing to another federal facility and purchased a larger, more central facility on the outskirts of Vancouver. Much like the protein it purveys, Hills Food Ltd. grew organically, driven by market demand and changing consumer consciousness. Adding first a used freezer, then a cooler and a refrigerated van, Hills Foods Ltd. came out of the woods and into the big city, introducing many Vancouverites to proteins beyond the wildest dreams of the local supermarket. Working closely with local chefs who never failed to find his door mat, Hills played a major role in crafting the expansive and curious palate of the West Coast. His ingredients have worked their way into fine dining restaurants across the province and Hills Foods Ltd. has become an invaluable bridge between the burgeoning metropolis of Vancouver and the wilderness by which it is surrounded. Drawing upon the highest quality of local and natural alternative proteins, Hills' line continued to grow over the next decade and the company now stands as the uncontested supply source for game on the West Coast. And the company is still growing alongside the public's curiosity about what goes on the plate both in restaurants and at home. As safety issues surrounding traditional protein supply lines continue to plague the cattle, poultry and farmed salmon industries, Hills Foods Ltd. has answered the public's demand for protein which offers taste, health and a world of variety. In addition to those in search of a taste of the wild, over the past five years, Hills Foods Ltd. has answered a growing demand for certified organic beef, chicken, pork, turkey and lamb. For reasons of health and taste, even those who choose mild over wild are finding reason to head for the Hills. Unburdened by anti-biotics, naturally lean and a rich source of energy, game meats and alternative protein have also enjoyed continued popularity amongst dieticians and health-conscious connoisseurs alike. As for the BC chefs working with Hills prodigious portfolio of gamey goods, their numbers continue to swell alongside the ranks home cooks now savvy to the natural bounty available. Now headquartered in greatly expanded facilities in Port Coquitlam since moving shop in 2002, Hills Foods Ltd. is pushing ahead with a wider assortment of wilder meats and exotic proteins than ever before. As the driving force behind the company, Mark and Tina Hills continue to vanguard good taste and bring fresh inspiration to kitchen counters everywhere. Interview with Mark HillsWhat was your first job in the industry? That would be as a cook’s helper at the Queen Victoria Inn in Victoria. What is the most memorable moment of your career? Gee, that’s an interesting one. There’s a few that come to mind. What advice do you have for people just starting out in the industry? My typical response to that is to identify your passion and stick with it. What do you think is the biggest issue facing restaurateurs today? Employment or labour. It’s the same thing in our industry here. What’s the next step for raising the bar in the B.C. foodservice industry? There are so many different areas to consider, apart from just improving quality on the plate – that has such a big meaning. Interview by Jessica Scharien Click on the images below to start videos Introduction movie shown during the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame Gala, April 2008. Interview and award acceptance speech recorded during the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame Gala, April 2008. |