Red Leaf Pulp began with a clear vision from Darby Kreitz, founder and CEO of Allnorth Consultants, a leading Canadian engineering firm. For over 30 years, Darby has led Allnorth’s growth into a multidisciplinary company with deep expertise across infrastructure, mining, energy and renewables, and fiber and chemicals.
Among Allnorth’s many capabilities is a robust pulp and paper consulting team which has completed multiple agricultural fibre projects in North America and Europe. This combination of technical expertise and sector-specific knowledge helped plant the early seeds of what would eventually become Red Leaf Pulp.
At the time, Darby observed a growing challenge across the Western Canadian forestry sector: the supply of softwood fibre was declining due to forest depletion, increasing climate pressures, and regulatory changes. Meanwhile, global demand for fibre-based products such as tissue, packaging, and paperboard continued to rise.
This imbalance signaled the need for innovation in the pulp and paper industry. Darby was ready to challenge the status quo, and wheat straw quickly came into focus.
In Saskatchewan, wheat straw is abundant. As a byproduct of grain harvests, it’s typically chopped, burned, or left on the field. But Red Leaf recognized its untapped potential as a sustainable alternative fibre source.
With deep agricultural roots in Saskatchewan and a technical team experienced in ag fibre technologies, Darby and his team saw an opportunity to turn waste into value. The question wasn’t can this be done? It was why hasn’t it been done here before?
From the beginning, Red Leaf Pulp was designed to be more than a pulp mill. The goal was to build a circular, low-carbon operation rooted in collaboration with producers. Our model:
This isn’t about replacing traditional agriculture, it’s about working alongside it.
To bring Red Leaf’s vision to life, Darby partnered with Martin Pudlas, former VP of Operations at Canfor Pulp. With decades of leadership in the Canadian pulp industry, Martin brought critical strategic, operational, and commercial insight, helping guide Red Leaf from concept to execution.
Before finalizing any construction plans, Red Leaf made a deliberate choice: listen first, build second. We ran pilot programs, walked fields, and met with farmers at kitchen tables across the Prairies. These early conversations shaped everything, from how we price wheat straw to how we manage logistics and long-term partnerships.
What we heard didn’t just validate the model, it defined it.
Today, Red Leaf Pulp is in its early growth phase, working toward building ten non-wood pulp facilities across North America. These facilities will:
This is a new chapter in fibre production, one rooted in agriculture, designed for environmental sustainability, and built with the future of packaging and paper in mind.
Explore how Red Leaf Pulp is redefining fibre supply—for producers, manufacturers, and the planet.
