One of the co-founders of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods has been recognized for his achievements.
Mike Fata, CEO of the Winnipeg-based company, was named Ernst and Young's Prairie Entrepreneur of the Year at an awards ceremony held last week in Calgary. He received the award in the manufacturing category.
Fata has a personal connection to hemp food products that led to his involvement in starting the company 16 years ago.
"I became passionate about hemp foods because I lost over 100 lbs; I used to weigh 300 lbs and lost a whole bunch of weight and got interested in health," he said. "We started with one farmer and an oil press, pressing hemp seed oil and selling it to a couple local health food stores and over the last 16 years have grown all aspects of the business to now be the global leader in hemp food manufacturing, growing right across Canada and distributing our products throughout the world."
Fata notes Manitoba is a major player in the hemp industry, with the province growing about 30,000 acres per year which totals about one-third of the Canada's hemp crop.