Mike Fata Named as a Top 10 Readers’ Favorite for Fast Company Magazine’s Fast 50 Challenge

Winnipeg, Manitoba (March 31, 2006) – A leading international business magazine has named Mike Fata, President and Co-founder of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils, as one of the Top 10 Reader’s Favorites in their 2006 Fast 50 edition.  Fast Company Magazine editors, along with help from its readers, conducted a worldwide search for leading creative thinkers that have already made significant accomplishments but whose best is yet to come over the next decade.

Fast Company Magazine received thousands of nominations for the 2006 Fast 50 Reader’s Challenge, the fifth annual contest which is a feature in the March 2006 print edition of Fast Company Magazine.  Fata’s entry, which highlights his tireless grassroots efforts educating consumers about nutritious hemp foods and healthier lifestyles, appealed to the magazine’s business savvy readers.  As one of the Top 10 Reader Favorites, Fata attained one of the very highest reader rankings and his nomination received more than 15 pages of reader comments. To read Mike Fata’s nomination and reader comments please visit www.fastcompany.com/fast50_06/profile/?fata241.    

Fata, 29, is a young entrepreneur that is gaining recognition from many peers and food industry experts.  In addition to the Fast 50 Reader’s Challenge, Fata was presented with the Business Development Bank of Canada’s (BDC) 2004 Young Entrepreneur Award.  He and his fellow co-founders were honoured by Food in Canada Magazine in May 2005 as one of the Top Ten Emerging Food & Beverage Entrepreneurs and Fata was also featured in a full page article in the April 2005 edition of Entrepreneur Magazine.  In October 2004, Manitoba Harvest’s meteoric sales growth was recognized with a 2004 Business Achievement Award from the Nutrition Business Journal. 

MANITOBA HARVEST - FRESH FROM “SEED TO SHELF”

Founded in 1998, Manitoba Harvest contracts hemp seed production on more than 4,000 acres by 20 farmers who are shareholders in the company.  The raw, non-GMO seed is processed into hemp protein powder, hemp seed oil, hemp seed nut, and hemp seed nut butter at the company’s 6,000 square foot USDA organic certified processing plant.   Since Manitoba Harvest is an integrated producer of organic hemp food products, the largest in North America, they control production from “seed to shelf,” and are therefore able to ensure freshness and quality.  Manitoba Harvest products are offered nationwide by more than 2,500 natural food retailers, including Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats.  For more information, please visit www.manitobaharvest.com.