BeaverTails Canada Inc.

They are as Canadian as hockey and the maple leaf. 

BeaverTails -- those piping hot pastries topped with butter and toppings -- are a Canadian tradition. So much so that during American President Barack Obama’s February 2009 visit to Ottawa, he went hunting for these sweet treats in the Byward Market.

“They really are a Canadian national phenomena,” says Montreal-based Anthony Di Ioia, co-owner of BeaverTails Canada Inc., who, incidentally, was invited by the Canadian Embassy to serve these fried dough delicacies at an event in Washington honouring the President’s inauguration.

BeaverTails have been around since 1978 when company founder Grant Hook opened the first BeaverTails stand in the Byward Market in Ottawa. Today, the treats are sold coast-to-coast with 88 franchises throughout Canada.

 “It is whole wheat dough, hand-stretched into the shape of a beaver tail”, explains Anthony. “We then surface cook each pastry in 100% pure Canadian Canola oil, and serve piping hot with your choice of approximately a dozen different toppings. The most popular are cinnamon sugar and chocolate hazelnut spread. It’s a secret recipe from Grant Hooker’s grandmother and very difficult to imitate.”

Anthony, along with his twin brother and sister-in-law, recently acquired controlling shares in BeaverTails Canada Inc., from Grant Hooker and his wife Pam, who remain minority partners in the company.

Anthony, and his brother and sister-in-law, also own Moozoo, a line of fresh juices, frozen yogurt, and gelato sold wholesale throughout Quebec to various convenience stores, as well as some BeaverTail outlets.

“They are 100% natural juices without any added sugar,” explains Anthony. “We add frozen yogurt to give it a tangy zing. I am biased, but anyone who tries them becomes addicted. Our followers are very loyal.”

Anthony and his team have ambitious plans for both businesses.

They recently opened two BeaverTail franchises in Saudi Arabia and hope to add more countries to the list.

“We are planning further expansion of BeaverTails internationally and want to increase the presence and market penetration of Moozoo as well,” says Anthony.

As a small company with big plans, keeping internal costs down is critical. BeaverTails Canada Inc. must funnel as much of their profits as possible back into the business to fund their growth.

That’s why Anthony recently switched his corporate office’s phone and Internet service over to an Allstream Small Business bundle. These affordable packages of phone and Internet services are designed specifically for small and growing businesses and come with many value-added features -- so the savings really add up.

Plus, recognizing that no two companies are alike, Allstream Small Business allows clients to customize their bundle, by adding individual phone, fax, Internet and long-distance features to their package on an a la carte basis. This way you purchase only the tools you need --- you aren’t forced to “buy up” to a larger and more expensive package with products or services you don’t require.

“What I really like About Allstream Small Business is whether you are a really small start-up or a bigger sized company, you are treated the same, which isn’t the case among other telecommunications providers,” says Anthony.

“Allstream Small Business helps you build a package that makes sense for the business you are in. Plus, they don’t force a term contract on us and it’s flexible, we can add on to our bundle as we grow.”

Anthony and his team purchased a customized bundle with five phone lines. The package includes two calling features on each line, plus 500 free U.S. and Canada long distance minutes.

Since BeaverTails Canada Inc. has locations all over Canada, Anthony also added a toll-free number, so franchise owners can call him without charge.

“We were always put off by the cost of a 1-800 number because it isn’t something we use a lot,” says Anthony. “But the Allstream Small Business bundle offers great savings so we decided to go with it. And we are finding it really useful.”

Anthony says that beyond the free long distance minutes, which can be used towards the 1-800 number, Allstream Small Business’ long distance rates are another area where they are finding increased savings.

“The long distance rate is phenomenal,” says Anthony. “That was the real clincher for us and made us realize this was a fantastic deal.”

The small business bundles are also convenient as now the company’s phone, fax and Internet services are combined in one monthly bill.

 “It is seamless,” he says.

Allstream Small Business also offers hassle-free and reliable telecommunications service through a state-of-the-art fibre-optic network running from coast to coast. And if required, the customer support team is available 24 hours a day to address any concerns.

The convenience and cost-effectiveness of the Allstream Small Business bundle means that Anthony and his partners can concentrate on their expansion plans.

“Our telephone and Internet service used to be this big headache,” says Anthony. “But now we don’t even think about it, we take it for granted because we don’t have any issues. That is worth just as much as the cost savings, because without these concerns we can focus on growing our business.”