2019 Winner
Wise 50 Over 50 Award™

Linda Peers – Coconut Goodness Food Products Inc. 

www.theculturedcoconut.ca

Since graduating from the University of Western Ontario in 1985, my career choices have been in the field of marketing. This appealed to me because of my wish to one day be associated with a unique product or service which could benefit society. After working in Toronto with some of Canada’s largest advertising agencies, I moved back home to Halifax where I gained more experience with companies providing utilities (electric and natural gas), and in the hospitality and newspaper industries. After having established a Marketing consulting business, the entrepreneurial spirit in me was awakened!

I had just turned fifty when I started Coconut Goodness Food Products Inc. in January 2015. The reason for doing so initially arose from my being lactose intolerant for several years, and my wish to develop the highest quality naturally-fermented coconut milk kefir for my own use. I shared my creation with family and friends – the benefits they experienced quickly spread by word of mouth to others.  

As I researched the importance of the gut microbiome and its connection to disease, I realized that starting up this new business held all the satisfaction I had hoped to find in my marketing work. I immediately made a commitment to bring our probiotic to others and at the most affordable price for all.  

In under five years, the availability of The Cultured Coconut has expanded from coast to coast across Canada through successful partnerships with numerous health food stores and natural food distributors. A microbial analysis by an international bioscience research lab confirmed what we had known to be true – the superior potency of the product, and its affordable price makes it a number one choice.   

In the year 2000, more than 20 million Canadians suffered from digestive disorders – the financial impact on health care costs and lost productivity was 18 billion dollars annually. Based on countless testimonials from customers whose quality of life has been dramatically improved, we believe The Cultured Coconut will have a positive affect on our health care system in Canada and be of immense benefit to society as a whole. Our goal is to continue giving back to the community, with what we have found to be nature’s own way of keeping us healthy.