LEWISTON – Jim Amaral tells people he got into the bakery business “because I wanted to make a lot of dough.”

“And I have,” said the founder of Borealis Breads.

But the quip is just his way of leading into an explanation of why – as an entrepreneur – he practices the principles of social responsibility.

“We all bring our values to our businesses and have the choice about when to express those values in terms of how we run our businesses,” Amaral told Chamber of Commerce members gathered for a breakfast meeting at the Ramada Inn.

Among the values he holds dear are supporting and nurturing his employees and community, and acting in an environmentally sustainable fashion.

While he acknowledges there are challenges in those goals, “the benefits are incredibly significant.”

Amaral founded Borealis Breads in 1993 with one employee. Now the Wells-based company employs 50, has three retail locations and 300 wholesale accounts throughout northern New England. Although he declines to reveal sales or revenue figures, he said the wholesale part of his operation has grown between 5 and 7 percent over past year.

Amaral attributes that success to consumers who are interested in more than just price when they make their purchases.

“Price point is not the only consideration,” he said. “The key is to offer value to the customer.”

Borealis breads sell for between $3.50 and $4.50 a loaf. The breads are made from organic grains grown and milled in Maine.

About eight years ago, Amaral said he began looking for Maine alternatives to grain he imported from Canada and Montana. Although Maine had been a premier source for wheat grain until the Civil War, no one was growing it anymore.

Amaral made a connection with the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and a farmer in Aroostook County who agreed to grow 30 acres of wheat. Now up to 200 acres are grown, and a mill was built there to transform the wheat into flour.

It was a risky investment for Amaral.

At the time, conventionally grown grain was selling for $2.50 to $3.50 per bushel, and $4 to $6 per bushel for organically grown. But the difference in return to the farmer was significant.

Organic farmers could get returns of $150 to $180 per acre, while traditional farmers were making about $100 per acre, said Amaral.

When he started using Maine-grown grains, he was paying roughly $9 per bushel. Since then, the price has moderated.

“It was a risk, no question,” said Amaral. “But to get ahead in business you have to take risks.”

People associate the breads with a commitment to the land and Maine people. That recognition translates to loyal customers.

“If you tell the story of what you’re committed to, they’ll chose your product over a competitor’s,” said Amaral. “We’re selling the company, not just a loaf of bread.”

He urged Chamber members to buy locally produced foods whenever they can.

And to underscore his point, he shared a story from his days as a college student at Bates College. Every Saturday he went to Grant’s Bakery on Sabattus Street to get a supper of brown bread and beans.

“It was one of those great treats,” he said.