Pita bread company a fresh idea for Iranian-Canadian man
When Ali Modir moved to St. John's, he was bothered by the fact he could not purchase pita bread fresh out of the oven like he could in Toronto.
He eventually decided to take matters into his own hands, and the result is his very own company, NL Pita.
It's a dream come true for this Iranian expatriate, who came to Canada in 2002.
"I came here because of my wife. She's a physician in town," said Modir, who said he had a good job in Iran.
Their original plan was to stay in this province for two years and then go back to Toronto, but that has changed.
"We love it here. People are so lovely, friendly," he said.
Simple ingredients, great taste
Pita bread is a slightly leavened flatbread, and is used in many Mediterranean, Balkan and Middle Eastern cuisines.
The ingredients are simple — flour, water, yeast, salt and sugar.
Modir initially hoped to target the growing immigrant population on the Avalon Peninsula when he opened his production facility on O'Leary Avenue about a year-and-a-half ago.
But after regularly peddling his flatbread at the St. John's Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings, Modir has discovered that born-and-bred Newfoundlandlanders and Labradorians also like his products.
"People are trying it and loving it and coming back for more," he said.
Modir has assembled a production facility capable of producing 3,000 pieces of bread every hour.
He financed the operation without any borrowing or government grants, though he said he is now looking for some assistance to keep the business growing so he can make some real dough.
And the factory gear? He made much of it.
Production is also a family affair.
His father and father-in-law and brothers-in-law are all helping.
A next generation of bread makers?
And Modir is not only producing flatbread.
Since moving to this province, Modir and his wife have had a son.
"He's totally Newfie," Modir said with a laugh.
In addition to the farmers' market, NL Pita products are available at Belbins Grocery and Food for Thought on Gower Street.
Modir is also in talks to distribute his bread to Sobeys grocery stores.
The cost of his products are slightly higher than the fresh products he would buy in Toronto, but he's hoping to lower prices as production increases.
"We are far from making money yet, but we are totally satisfied with positive feedback we get from people and we are optimistic about the future."
With each bag of flatbread moving out of this little factory, Modir is closer to that future.
