A Manitoba company that sells tobacco for ceremonial use has found a growing market among large corporations and government departments.

Mother Earth Tobacco, based on the Long Plain First Nation in Portage la Prairie, Man., began selling ceremonial tobacco in the fall of 2005.

The company purchases certified organic tobacco in raw leaves, then steams, cuts and dries it into pipe tobacco.

Tannis Bullard, one of the company's owners, says one of the appeals of her product is that it's produced solely for the ceremonial market.

"Different organizations in the city that have ceremonies on a regular basis are buying our product," she said.

"Most people are very happy to see that finally there's something, and there's so many places that are using tobacco for ceremonies."

Manitoba Hydro has purchased the product for its aboriginal programs, as have two jails in the province.

"We have interest from Saskatchewan in the justice system for our product. There's a lot of ceremonies that go on there," Bullard said.

Linda Godin-Sorin, who works with the native agency Ka Ni Kanichihk in Winnipeg, says she likes getting her agency's tobacco from a small, native-owned company, rather than a big international corporation.

"Purchasing tobacco is something that we always do, so this tobacco works for us," she said.

A major tobacconist in Winnipeg is also carrying Bullard's product.