Name: Fancy Pokket & Timani Gluten Free
Products: Pitas, flatbreads, bagels, tortillas, Gluten-free baked goods
Manufactured In: Moncton, NB and Lancaster, S.C.
Where to Buy: Atlantic Canada grocers, select stores in Ontario and Quebec & various small businesses in Moncton, Saint John & Fredericton.
Website: fancypokket.com
Canadian Owned: Yes (see below)
Founded by Lebanese immigrant Mike Timani in 1989, Fancy Pokket is a great Canadian success story. After fleeing the Lebanese civil war in 1976, Timani arrived in Canada and proceeded to build a career with Hilton Hotels, before opening a restaurant and bakery. He soon focused only on the bakery, and now operates a 45,000 square foot facility in Moncton employing around 60 people.
They have recently built a gluten-free bakery in South Carolina, and will be shipping those products to Canada while shipping their traditional gluten products to new US markets.
It’s not 100% clear if Mike obtained his Canadian citizenship, but given the work he’s done over the years (including providing bread to hundreds of Syrian newcomers for 2 months in 2016) I think we can say with confidence that he’s Canadian in spirit, and that’s good enough for us here at MiC.
