During the Pilot Phase of Lulu's Local, we are pleased to be working with the following businesses from Gabriola Island, and from Vancouver Island - as far south as the Cowichan Valley, and as far north as the Comox Valley:
Darkside Chocolates (Allison Mackenzie, Artisan)
Fredrich's Honey (Theo Fredrich, Artisan)
Gabriola Coffee Company (Di and Rod Maddison, Artisans)
Gabriola Gourmet Garlic & Definitely Different Chocolate (Ken Stefanson, Artisan)
Gulf Island Roasting Company (Steve Brock, Artisan)
Hammond Bay Fudge Company (Albert Lum, Artisan)
Harmonic Arts Botanical Dispensary (Yarrow and Angela Willard, Artisans)
hOMe Grown Living Foods (Shani Cranston, Artisan)
New Society Publishers (Jean Wyenberg)
Panacea Herbs (Margo Anfossie, Artisan)
Starfish Soap Company (Margot Fedoruk, Artisan)
The Teafarm (Margit Nellemann and Victor Vesely, Artisans)
Vancouver Island Salt Company (Andrew Shepherd)
Scroll down to learn more about each artisan producer:
Darkside Chocolates
Allison Mackenzie, Artisan
Dark Side Chocolates is an artisan chocolate shop based in Cumberland, that makes specialty chocolates by hand using fresh, organic ingredients. They use chocolate made in small batches, from single origin, organic cocoa beans originating in Central and South America. In every creation they strive to use only the finest creams and flavourings, and as many local ingredients as possible. Their goal is to provide their customers with quality chocolate produced ethically and ecologically, focusing on creating unique flavours to captivate the senses.
Allison says: "We are inspired by our love for dark chocolate and all that it has to offer, both in flavour and health. It is our goal to bring these decadences to people in a way that is fresh and exciting, and to operate a business that is socially conscious and environmentally sustainable."
Fredrich's Honey
Theo Fredrich, Artisan
Based in Cedar, Fredrich's Honey has been producing Vancouver Island honey, pollen and propolis since 1966 and for many years before that in Germany and other parts of Europe. Master Beekeeper Theo Fredrich has just celebrated 60 years in beekeeping and is as excited about making honey today as he was when he first started.
Theo says: "While we cannot improve on the excellent products of the bees, we take extreme care in the handling, production and storage of these products to ensure they reach your table just as nature intended. Our honey and pollen is 100% natural with nothing added which allows you to enjoy them just as the bees do."
Gabriola Coffee Company
Di and Rod Maddison, Artisans
Gabriola Coffee Company is a Gabriola Island based business that offers delicious 100% Certified Organic, direct fair trade coffee supplied by the same cooperative in Chiapas, Mexico for 20 years. The cooperative practices farming principles such as composting mulch for natural fertilizers, and cross cropping coffee with guava, corn, bananas, and melons to balance the nutrients in the soil. Their roasting process develops the coffee's peak aromatic characteristics resulting in the perfect cup, smooth and rich in flavour and aroma.
Di and Rod have created a special brew just for us called 'Lulu's Low Buzz' -- a rich, dark, half-decaf blend. With 50% less caffeine than regular coffee, you get all the flavour without too much buzz! Be sure to check out the other wonderful Gabriola Coffee Company varieties near the deli counter at Village Food Market.
Gabriola Gourmet Garlic and Definitely Different Chocolate
Ken Stefanson, Artisan
Gabriola Gourmet Garlic and Definitely Different Chocolate is a Gabriola Island based business that specializes in - you guessed it - garlic and chocolate! Ken's garlic products are all natural, and preserved in pure apple cider vinegar, which means they keep forever without chemicals (and! apple cider vinegar is a natural palette cleanser - so no garlic breath). Ken's garlic is grown on Gabriola and in the Cowichan Valley.
His chocolate bars are made of the finest rich dark Belgian chocolate that are 73% cocoa, and include all natural ingredients and no additives or fillers, including wax. His chocolate bars come in 17 wonderful varieties, and his garlic chocolate bar is likely the only one of its kind sold commercially in Canada. Definitely Different lives up to its name!
Gulf Island Roasting Company
Steve Brock, Artisan
The Gulf Islands Roasting Co. roasts high quality organic Arabica coffee and is constantly searching the globe for the best green coffee beans available to bring home to Vancouver Island. What really separates Gulf Islands Roasting Co from the pack is their vertical integration with a plantation in Thailand. Coffee is shipped directly from the farm and each batch of coffee is micro-roasted to ensure the highest quality is maintained.. The coffee is then bagged by hand and shipped to their loyal customers (like us!)
The Gulf Islands Rosting Company's roaster is a beautiful French built SASA SAMIAC, a company that has been constructing high quality roasters since 1919.
Hammond Bay Fudge Company
Albert Lum, Artisan
Hammond Bay Fudge Company is Coombs, Vancouver Island based family-run business that has been delighting customers with chocolate and candy confections for over five years. They are best known for producing over 100 classic and unique flavours of fudge including peanut butter, caramel, chocolate ginger and key lime. Whirly pops, 31 flavours of salt water taffy, peppermint patties, real Belgian chocolates, hand-dipped caramel apples, peanut brittle, and caramel popcorn loaded with caramelized pecans and almonds only begin to describe the rest of their crunchy, chocolatey, ooey-gooey assortment.
Lulu's Local is happy to be carrying several flavours of fudge, as well as caramel popcorn (including the variety with pecans and almonds), and chocolate turtles in Village Food Market!
Harmonic Arts Botanical Dispensary
Yarrow and Angela Willard, Artisans
Harmonic Arts is a small company of Herbalists based in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. Their mission is to share the healing powers of plant medicine with their community - both near and far. In doing so, they provide the finest high quality herbs, and herbal product. They avidly search out the best possible sustainable organic and wild-harvested herbs in their local farm community, wild lands, and on the world market.
Yarrow and Angela say: "Our love and passion for the medicinal power of plants has inspired us to bring this full spectrum botanical dispensary to life. Through our products and education, we hope to assist people in cultivating a healthy herbal practices as part of a holistic lifestyle. With great respect and reverence to the earth’s environment, our company uses the lowest impact option available to bring our products to you."
hOMe Grown Living Foods
Shani Cranston, Artisan
hOMe Grown Living Foods is based in the Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, and lovingly prepared in small batches (in fact, "love" is the first ingredient they list). Their line of products are brimming with Local Produce and Super Foods including: Cacao, Goji Berries, Inca Berries, Hemp and Sprouted Flax & Chia. These divine treats are sprouted and dehydrated at low temperatures to ensure that life force and enzymatic qualities are preserved. They soak all their nuts and seeds to release enzyme inhibitors and promote healthy digestion. With alkalinizing ingredients hOMe Grown will help promote a healthy pH balance in the body, the best defence against disease.
New Society Publishers
Jean Wyenberg, Publishing Assistant
New Society Publishers has been publishing books to build a new society for over 30 years. We are an activist, solutions-oriented publisher focused on bringing you tools for a world of change. We help you to know the talk, and walk the talk.
Panacea Herbs
Margo Anfossie, Artisan
Margo writes: "Panacea Herbs, located on the beautifully pristine Gulf island of Gabriola, is an organic, homegrown skin care company. Surrounded by the clear Pacific Ocean and abundant fresh air, old growth forests and rich soils, I grow organic herbs and sustainably harvest from the diverse local flora. It is here, on this tranquil and bountiful island, that I gather my inspirations to provide the very best skin care possible. Panacea Herbs organic skin care line is totally free of parabens, sulfites, colorants, petroleum, soy, phthalates and perfume oils, while uses only pure and organic butters and oils. My expertise are based on 15 years of studies of herbology and horticulture as well as feedback from my very loyal customers."
Starfish Soap Company
Margot Fedoruk, Artisan
Starfish Soap Company is a Gabriola Island based businesses that specializes in natural skin care products, including soaps, lotion bars, lip balms, and bath salts. Margot uses only the finest all natural ingredients and no chemicals. The company began as Margot's dream to learn how to make the best soaps possible from scratch. Her product line is continuously evolving, as she is always researching, and looking for new and creative ways to incorporate natural scents and colours.
Margot writes: “For me making natural skin care products is a very creative process. I’m always looking for new ways to combine ingredients. I love hearing that my customers not only enjoy the variety of scents and colours of my soaps, but they also love the feel, and report that their skin problems often clear up as a result of using them."
The Teafarm
Margit Nellemann and Victor Vesely, Artisans
Teafarm is an eleven-acre organic farm in the Cowichan Valley of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. They grow a variety of plants and flowers that are blended with fair trade and organic estate grown teas from around the world. Their original hand blended recipes combine high quality ingredients in new and surprising ways. In the spring of 2010, they planted tea – Camellia sinensis – on the farm. The plants have successfully made it through the winter and they are confident that within the next few years they will be producing Cowichan tea. The Teafarm has also created a line of delicious tea blends based on the Chinese Zodiac, which we are planning to bring to Village Foods soon!
Vancouver Island Salt Company
Andrew Shepherd
Vancouver Island Salt Co. was established in January 2010 by Andrew Shepherd. After more than a decade as a chef, working in top restaurants and catering companies across Canada, South Australia, and an award winning run in Feilding, New Zealand at Sage Cafe, it was time for a change. For the last few years, Andrew has been dedicated to the world of gourmet retail foods, where the idea for V.I.S.C. was formed. Andrew and V.I.S.C. are excited to be able to add something unique to BC's thriving local food scene, while at the same time offering products that are all natural and sustainable.
Are you an Artisan Producer who would like to know more?
How will Lulu's Local look after my products?
We recognize the love, dedication, and experience that you bring to the creation and development of your products. Our goal is to bring the same kind of care to their distribution, merchandizing, and promotion.
To this end, we:
• focus on smaller volumes distributed within a defined region.
• provide merchandizing in a highly visible retail location that is designated 'Lulu's Local' and includes promotional material, information about the artisan producers and their products, and is supported by a website.
• offer assistance and information about proper labeling, including preparation for obtaining UPC codes.
What kinds of products do you distribute?
High quality, sensually appealing, and socially and environmentally conscious products, including
• non-perishable and durable-perishable foods
• personal, and household products
If you are an artisan producer with a product you believe would fit with Lulu's Local's mandate, please let us know.
Does it cost anything to join?
No.
Where do you distribute?
During the Pilot Phase we are distributing from the Vancouver Island region (from as far South as the Cowichan Valley, to as far North as the Comox Valley) to Village Food Market on Gabriola. Our intention is to expand our distribution area to include the Vancouver Island and the Gulf Island regions.
How much does it cost?
We negotiate a fair percentage specific to each product we distribute.
What's in it for me?
• Pick-up and drop-off of your products.
• Competitive pricing.
• Care and attention to handling and display of your products.
• High-profile, artful, engaging "Local" presence in store.
• Presence on the Lulu's Local website.
What is required to get a U.P.C. (Uniform Product Code) Number?
Who do I talk to?
Please phone Yarrow Koontz at 250-325-0253, or email yarrow@luluslocal.ca.
Do you have ideas or suggestions for us? Please let us know by emailing info@luluslocal.ca. Thank you!
