Local cookie company receives $52,000 in federal funding

Hidden inside a non-descript building in this small village is, quite possibly, one of the area's best kept secrets.

Inside the small building, a work-force of 16 dedicated employees toils nearly 24 hours a day making some of the most delicious cookies you've ever tasted. The company, called E.C. Best Friends Inc., has been in business for more than 10 years under the guidance of 83-year-old company president, Esther Waring, and vice-president, Heidi Suter, who originally hails from Switzerland.

"We are a very small business and I suppose, not many people know we're here in Alfred," Suter told The Review.

The company is responsible for manufacturing, packaging, marketing and shipping of Aunt Lizzie's traditional rolled oat butter cookies that come in four delicious flavours - butter, almonde, orange and maple.

Regardless of whether or not people know the company is thriving in the small village, Glenarry-Prescott-Russell MP Pierre Lemieux paid a visit to the cookie company on Monday, March 8 to announce $52,000 in funding from the Feddev Ontario program. The program supports economic and community development, innovation, and economic diversification, with contributions to communities, businesses and non-profit organizations.

"Small businesses like this one are the backbone of this area," Lemieux commented. "What you're doing here is amazing and this funding will help your business grow and stay competitive. Congratulations on a job well done and keep up the good work."

The recipe for the cookies belongs to Waring's family, whom emigrated to Canada in the 1800s and brought with them an old Scottish recipe for rolled oat cookies.
In 1994, Waring's daughter was an impresario for a series of classical music concerts in the local village church. At the conclusion of the performances, concert-goers were able to chat with the musicians over coffee and cookies.

People became enamoured with Waring's cookies and began asking her for the recipe. That's when inspiration hit - Waring decided to keep her family recipe and began the long process of starting her own cookie company.

She started baking the cookies in her own home at the age of 70 and began bringing them to local specialty stores. Today, the cookies are available at Costco, numerous grocery stores and, Suter noted, the company is now selling to the United States, Japan and soon, Korea.

"Things are going quite well for us," she remarked. "We are very pleased with how business is going and have some very positive ventures on the horizon."

When asked what the $52,000 will be used for, Suter explained it will go toward updating the interior of the production area, new machinery and replacing the parchment paper on which the cookies are placed with silicone sheets.

"Parchment paper creates a lot of waste because I cannot reuse it," she explained. "The silicone sheets can be used up to 1,000 times so not only do I have less waste, but I can save some money as well. Every little bit helps when you're trying to stay competitive."