Cedar Valley, a thriving Canadian food manufacturer, has flourished by combining its cherished family recipes with strong entrepreneurial spirit, proving that with passion, perseverance and the right support from organizations like FedDev Ontario, even the smallest beginnings can lead to big success.
Founded in 2015 by then-teenager Ameen Fadel and his mother Surria, Cedar Valley began as a high school project with a single product: a traditional Fattoush salad dressing based on a family recipe. The duo sold their first bottles at local farmers’ markets, offering homemade pita chips as a way to sample the dressing. To their surprise, customers loved the chips so much they began asking for them by the bag. That moment sparked a shift. The Fadel family leaned into the opportunity, seeking coaching and support from the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre (SBEC) through Invest WindsorEssex, which focuses on providing entrepreneurs with guidance and professional advice from concept through to start-up and early-growth stages of business. Armed with a refined business education, Cedar Valley began its transformation from selling small-batch salad dressings to becoming a full-fledged snack food manufacturer.
But growth comes with its share of challenges, as the Fadel family struggled to find a manufacturing supplier to help them keep up with the demand for their products. “Nobody would make [the chips] with our ingredients to our recipe, to our flavour profile or quality that we were looking for,” says Ameen, detailing the struggles to find a manufacturer with the right equipment for the task. “We were trying to bring an authentic style pita chip to the market, you know, the way my mom made it just at home, and no one would replicate that.”
So Ameen and Surria did what any dedicated entrepreneurs would do, and expanded their manufacturing capability themselves. From its humble beginnings in a rented kitchen, the company has continued to expand its square footage to accommodate the increasing demand for its products that are now available in major retailers across Canada and the U.S.
A pivotal moment came when Ameen and Surria appeared on CBC’s Dragon’s Den, which helped propel the brand into the national spotlight. This marked the moment the Fadels knew they had a viable business on their hands, with revenues showing consistent growth.
FedDev Ontario’s funding helped Cedar Valley acquire specialized equipment to improve efficiency and stay competitive in the fast-paced food manufacturing sector. The investment also supported the company’s entry into larger markets, creating additional employment opportunities and strengthening local supply chains.
“FedDev Ontario came in at a perfect time to help us grow and automate and hire more staff to really create demand for our product, and also to keep up with demand and lower our cost of goods overall. It allowed us to be 100% family owned and ensure we can support our growth and continue to build in Windsor-Essex, bringing more jobs to the region and a product to Canadians across the country, and into the U.S.”Ameen Fadel, Co-founder, Cedar Valley
Cedar Valley is a great example of how companies can benefit from the array of funding that is available to help small businesses grow. Two programs that are also supported by FedDev Ontario—the i.d.e.a. Fund and SONAMI—provided Cedar Valley with valuable mentorship, resources and seed funding to help scale its operations and strengthen its commitment to sustainability and inclusive hiring.
Cedar Valley is currently preparing to move into a new 36,000-square-foot space to meet continued demand. The expansion is expected to create even more jobs—having already added 35 employees—and further boost the local economy. Today, Cedar Valley’s pita chips are available in over 2,500 stores across Canada and the U.S., with another 2,000 anticipated. The company’s commitment to quality, authenticity and community continues to resonate with consumers.
Cedar Valley’s commitment to community goes far beyond the products on store shelves. Through a longstanding partnership with Windsor’s UHC – Hub of Opportunities, the company has hired over 30 individuals who have faced barriers to employment, including newcomers, racialized individuals, and those with language or cultural challenges. Surria Fadel describes this as one of the most rewarding aspects of running a family business—creating a workplace that feels like home and offering meaningful opportunities to those who need them most. The company also champions sustainability, operating as a zero food waste facility by partnering with local farmers to repurpose food scraps for compost and animal feed, which underscores the founders’ values-driven approach to business.
The Fadel family’s journey highlights the value of ecosystem support. Early-stage assistance from not-for-profit initiatives like Invest WindsorEssex’s SBEC, FedDev Ontario and others helped the company refine its business model and respond quickly to meet demand. This layered approach of starting with grassroots support and scaling up to federal funding has been key to Cedar Valley’s success.
FedDev Ontario is pleased to support Cedar Valley as it continues to grow, create jobs, and bring a taste of Windsor to kitchens across the continent.