David Cohlmeyer

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Deny Accept

Sustainable Good Foods Consultant

Type:

Food Systems

Categories:

Consulting Services

Keywords:

• Ontario, 
• Canada, 
• Food, 
• Consulting, 
• Farming, 
• Agriculture

General info

David provides a collaborative approach to agriculture and food consulting. His key purpose is to supplement knowledge to build the capacity for clients to dependably make thoughtful and sustainable decisions. He enables an educational process to profitably bring realization to business visions. David starts by identifying a clear and concise assessment of the problem. This typically addresses both the technical and organizational reasons why the problem exists. Working together with the client and the staff, they create relevant solutions. These must be fully understood and supported by everyone to assure effective implementation. Still working together, they evaluate success in resolving the problem.

David Cohlmeyer graduated from Purdue University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management. He started his career as an Internal Consulting Engineer for a large manufacturer primarily working in the “new” ecological projects such as recycling, tailings pond reclamation, and noise abatement. In the 1970’s, as a Systems Consultant , David worked with mid-sized manufacturers gathering input from the staff (from President, to clerks, to machinists) to create efficient and useful accounting and reporting systems.  

In the 1980’s he started consulting in the food industry by adapting natural ingredient recipes for co-packed retail sales. He also worked with The Big Carrot natural food market to create their first Vegetarian Café and to research a system for distributing locally grown organic foods. He consulted with Toronto hotels and restaurants to incorporate new vegetarian choices into their menus. In the 90’s, he assisted innumerable farmers help themselves enter local organic markets.

After taking a night school cooking class with George Brown College’s renowned Chef Willy Brand, David fell in love with honest good food. He became owner/chef of Toronto’s acclaimed Beggars Banquet Restaurant. A few years later he began a catering business which made use of the quality garden ingredients he was learning to grow. To share what he was discovering about local good foods, David wrote a weekly column in The Globe and Mail. He also returned to George Brown College, this time to teach cooking classes. To further promote the concept of seasonal local foods and to create a network of local food professionals, he was founding president of the Toronto Culinary Guild.

Perceiving a demand for consistent supplies of high quality specialty local produce, David founded Cookstown Greens market garden in 1988. There was so much demand for the exceptional flavours and consistent service his staff was able to provide, that he determined the best way to grow a sustainable business was to expand the local supply by helping other farmers enter the market.