The Homegrown Hunter
We were driving down the road and spied this interestingly wrapped truck and trailer travelling in front of us – a quick google told us it was for the TV show The Homegrown Hunter. We took a chance and made a call – and it ended up with us pulling over for a roadside chat!
It was great to meet Steve Elmy, host of the Homegrown Hunter – who is also known as the Rack Stacker guy. If you are a hunter, chances are you know his brand.
Turns out that Steve has a very interesting story of growth, a true local success story.
Steve started out working in the pet food industry and quickly progressed to a regional sales position selling all over Canada. Steve spent 11 years in the pet industry as a nutritionist, advising his clients on feeding their pets the most nutritional foods. During this time, he learned a lot about how foods affect the health of animals.
When Steve made the move from Belleville to Tweed, ON he remembers seeing deer tracks in his back yard – with his background in animal nutrition it led him to research what people were feeding them. His research brought forward some worrisome information. Many people were feeding deer feed that is too high in carbs – Steve knew that feeding deer this food could cause problems with fermentation of the gut, which essentially ‘pickles their stomach’, which can lead to death. Steve got to work and soon launched his own mix of suitable feed called ‘Steve’s Deer Food’ in 2006.
The deer food was an instant hit; in 2007 Steve started Backyard Wildlife Products and resigned from his full-time job. In 2010 his business become known as Rack Stacker Inc., a full-service business that supplies all types of animal feeds and attractants for hobby feeders and hunters. Rack Stacker products were offered in stores like Bass Pro Shop, Home Hardware, Peavey Mart, Canadian Tire and Cabellas. Rack Stacker products are now a household name and can be found in just over 1500 retail outlets in Canada!
Here things get really interesting. Steve applied to pitch his business on the Dragons Den in 2015. Out of 2600 applicants he was one of the 90 chosen to pitch to the Dragons. Steve headed to Toronto in April of 2015 and made his case to the panel of dragons. Steve offered 15% of Rack Stacker for $500, 000., and Jim Treliving bit – success! Steve drove home knowing that he couldn’t tell anyone about his deal until the show aired 9 months later!
Since then, Rack Stacker has quadrupled their business – they have their own warehouse, are busy expanding into the U.S. and they are now partnered with Amazon to sell their products.
Rack Stacker products has been featured on many hunting shows and Steve’s wife Selina suggested he start his own show – when asked what he would call it he immediately said “Homegrown Hunter” and it stuck! The first episode of the show aired in 2018 and they are currently working on the 4th season.
You can catch the show on the Sportsman Channel Canada, or catch past episodes at www.hghtv.ca. Steve says the show focusses on creating moments that are educational, and memorable – and that there are always lots of laughs on the show.
www.rackstacker.ca
1-800-945-1846
whitetailexperts@rackstacker.ca
