Rooted in Eugene | Part 2: High Quality Ingredients
Eugene, Oregon may not immediately land on your radar, but for those in food manufacturing, the region is known as a nearly perfect place for producing products and distributing across the west coast. Saddled on the southern edge of the fertile Willamette Valley, the metro area’s modest size, lack of traffic congestion, and inexpensive highly renewable hydropower supply pair wonderfully with its location less than 500 miles from both Seattle and The Bay area.
Growing a food or beverage company is not for the faint of heart, yet many entrepreneurs thrive in Eugene, Oregon. The town’s location on the southern end of the fertile Willamette Valley, means direct access to some of the finest ingredients in the world. The relatively low cost of doing business in the area only adds to the profitability of premium products produced with these ingredients. However, it’s the quality of life enjoyed by those in Eugene, Oregon that provides the foundation that amplifies success.
In the Summer of 2000, Shawn Donnile and Julie Bailey visited the Eugene area. They were looking to relocate their small mail order organic herbal products company to Oregon so they could be closer to many of their suppliers. They’d heard good things about Eugene, but upon arrival Donnile recounts that they were sold almost immediately. “The environmental community was so robust. We hiked the Mckenzie, saw the Saturday market, saw all the tree sits and activists in the Eugene area, and we realized, oh my God, these are our people. Let’s move here!”
Shawn Donnile helped relocate Mountain Rose Herbs to Oregon in 2001. He now owns the company.
So in 2001, Mountain Rose Herbs moved to Pleasant Hill, Oregon a small town just south of Eugene. Since that move, the operation has grown tremendously year over year despite recessions and Donnile has since become the sole owner of the company. While the land may have been the first inspiration for Donille’s move to Eugene, he is quick to point out that people have been the key contributor to Mountain Rose Herbs success. “The talent pool that we could tap into was enormous.” In 2020, Mountain Rose Herbs purchased the Phoenix Industrial park in Eugene and plans to consolidate their six separate facilities into one 12-acre campus.
Shortly after Mountain Rose Herbs moved to town, Eugene natives Nikos Ridge and Jamie Floyd started brewing beer with a to become the “village brewer” in their community. They named the business after the Sumarian Goddess of Fermentation and quickly attracted local beer fanatics. Ninkasi Brewing was born.
In just one year the business outgrew its original location. Ninkasi also needed someone to oversee finances for the growing operation, so Ridge recruited his high school buddy Nigel Francisco to join the team. Francisco had just completed an MBA program at Northwest Christian University and was looking for a passion project to pour his new skills into. That same year Ninkasi moved to the heart of the vibrant Whiteaker neighborhood, an area known for eclectic art and radical thinkers.
Over the next decade the humble village brewer grew to become one of the largest craft breweries in the country. Francisco rode the wave with Ninkasi Brewing and is now its CEO. Reflecting on Ninkasi’s journey he points to the ways that Eugene, Oregon supports the success of entrepreneurs. “This community has allowed us to grow. People are excited about local products and what we are all doing.”
Nigel Francisco was one of Ninkasi Brewing’s first hires. He has grown with the craft beer powerhouse and is now the company’s CEO.
Francisco also acknowledges more than a few other ingredients that contributed to Ninkasi’s success. “Ninkasi wouldn’t be what it is without our water source”. The City of Eugene water supply is drawn from the Mckenzie River, one of the cleanest municipal water supplies in the country. He also attributes some of the region’s competitive advantages to local government. “Leadership wants us to succeed. We have broad support from city leaders.” He certainly has experience working with local government as he’s helped lead multiple expansions and renovation projects culminating in the now 78,000 square foot brewery footprint just outside of Downtown Eugene.
Even at the helm of one of the largest craft breweries in the country, Francisco still finds time to get outside and enjoy downtime with his friends and family. He skis regularly in the winter and during the warmer months makes an effort to get in even a short hike almost daily. While his business is steeped in community, the wilderness provides a place to reflect and recharge. “You can still find places in Oregon where you’re not going to find an overpopulated hike.”
Companies like Mountain Rose Herbs and Ninkasi Brewing exemplify the success that is relatively common in Eugene, Oregon. As of 2019, there are 173 food and beverage operations in the greater Eugene area (Lane County) and that number is only expected to grow. As the industry continues to grow, many companies are also reinvesting in the natural lands that they rely on. Mountain Rose Herbs and Ninkasi Brewing are both longtime supporters of Mckenzie River Trust.
Interested in learning more about crystal clear waters of the Mckenzie River and some of the ways Eugene area organizations are protecting natural spaces?
Rooted in Eugene highlights stories of people who chose to live, work, and play in the greater Eugene area’s dynamic food and beverage manufacturing industry
Check out the rest of the series!
Part 1: Love and Natural Foods
Part 3: On The Cusp Of Something