PORTLAND, Ore.Steviva Brands plans to invest $500,000 of capital improvements into its recently purchased Bonneau Products facility located in Northeastern Portland. 

Thom King, Steviva president and owner, purchased the facility on Dec. 30, 2013, to increase production of Bonneau products as well as diversify the companys food and beverage portfolio.

The 16,000-square-foot facility was built in 1931 as a smoke house for ham and cured meats. Since then, a food and water production area has been added to the building for the manufacture of soups, sauce bases, vinegars, soy sauces and Worchester sauces. And later, in 1970, reverse osmosis and water distillers were added and the company began producing distilled bottled waters. 

"Bonneau Foods and Water have been running in the red for the past four years," King said. We thoroughly reviewed the business, have implemented a plan to turn things around, and are forecasting profits within the next 90 days."

Renovation and expansion of the water purification business is already underway with increased sales, as well as the creation of Cascadian Springs artisan spring water and Mount Hood mountain spring water.

The company also plans to add an all-natural, gluten-free line of gravy, sauces and soup bases under the Bonneau Foods line to meet the needs of restaurateurs catering to health-conscious consumers.  Additionally, Trinity Hill Farms, local producer of all-natural, gourmet condiments, marinades and sauces, will also relocate to the building in a move to combine sales efforts with the Chef Bonneau brand. 

Building improvements include upgrades such as an R&D kitchen that will serve as an incubator for new products, as well as new equipment and increased warehouse storage. The company plans on adding five new employees in the upcoming months.

Among recent innovations, Steviva developed flavored-milk recipes using Fructevia, a blend of natural fructose, inulin stevia and magnesium carbonate, as an all-natural replacement for sugar and artificial sweeteners providing a solution to the chocolate milk debate and childhood nutrition.