THE POWERHOUSE BEHIND THE SCENES Pegasus Paper celebrates 25 years By Nerissa McNaughton with photos by Rebecca Lippiatt
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n September 14, 1997, Brian Blacklock opened Pegasus Paper. Today, the company is a fixture in the wholesale TNTTO (tissue, napkins, towels and takeout containers) business, primarily serving restaurants across northern Alberta. This locally owned and operated, Groupex approved supplier provides one-stop shopping for a wide range of products. There are no minimum order requirements. Regularly scheduled deliveries from several convenient warehouses ensures prompt and efficient delivery that empowers small businesses to manage costs and run efficiently. “We started by providing paper and packaging to restaurants, food service, hospitality and some meat shops,” says Blacklock. “Over the years we grew a stronger presence in the food business. Now we also sell produce, meat and frozen food.” He is no stranger to the industry. Before opening Pegasus Paper, Blacklock worked for a TNTTO company and had enjoyed management roles throughout his career. When the business he was working for was purchased by an international company, he decided to strike out on his own; and his new employers were incredibly supportive.
“The new owners wanted to focus on large supply contracts, and I wanted to focus on the small, independent business model. I was able to start out with a customer base as the businesses that followed me were not in the international company’s demographic model. That company would then sell products to me, and I provided for the customers outside of their base. They never interfered with my target market – the plan worked great for all of us and they were always very supportive.”
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