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Vendor Spotlight: EMKAO Foods

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VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Keep an eye out for our Vendor Spotlight feature where we bring you short interviews with our amazing vendors!

This Week: EMKAO Foods

Find them online here and on Instagram here.

From EMKAO’s Website:

“When our founder and CEO, Ayissi, arrived in Canada in 2016, she harnessed her love of chocolate and marketing background to launch EMKAO Foods. EMKAO brings cocoa beans from Kotou Farm to Mission, BC, where they are processed into chocolate ingredients for customers seeking premium quality and directly traceable products.

Today, our teams in Cameroon and BC share a common vision of elevating communities – and chocolate – through traceable and sustainable products.”

Photo of EMKAO’s cocoa display!

Interview completed with Ayissi, EMKAO’s owner and CEO!

How did your business start?

Our business started from a conversation I had with parents in Cameroon telling me about the challenges they are facing with the family plantation that year. They reminded me about the work of my grand-parents and what they have tried to accomplish. I felt compelled and wanted to support the best way I could.
 
What is your favourite part about selling at farmers markets?
Sharing my passion with my community, seeing the support from my community . And, being able to be part of the change.
 
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting their own small business?
Always focus on your vision. No matter how hard it will get.

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Thanks, Ayissi! We appreciate you joining us this season! 

Vendor Spotlight: Anne’s Gallery

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VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Keep an eye out for our Vendor Spotlight feature where we bring you short interviews with our amazing vendors!

This Week: Anne’s Gallery

Anne has been at NWFM since we started almost 15 years ago, and has been an incredible asset to our market. We love Anne and her family who visit her at the market! Anne has a devoted following of customers who always come looking for her. Thank you, Anne, for being such a great vendor!

Photo of Anne at her booth with her husband Michael tucked in the back!

What’s your favourite product that you sell and why?

Pickled beets. It is an old family recipe! 
 
What is your favourite part about selling at farmers markets?
My favourite part of the market is chatting with people. I am an original market vendor at NWFM so lots of people are friends now.
 
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting their own small business?
My advice is know your product and price it right.

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Thanks, Anne (and Michael)! We appreciate you joining us this season! Find Anne at NWFM this week (August 18th) from 3-7pm in Tipperary Park.

Vendor Spotlight: Odd Society Spirits

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VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Keep an eye out for our Vendor Spotlight feature where we bring you short interviews with our amazing vendors!

This Week: Odd Society Spirits 

Answers provided by their General Manager, Miriam!

Photo of Odd Society’s Distillery

Keep tabs on them on their website here! Or follow them on Instagram!

What is your favourite product that you sell and why?

My favourite product that we sell is our Wallflower Gin. I love the floral notes and I love it in a simple gin and tonic. Super refreshing in the summer. 
 
What is your favourite part about selling at farmers markets?
We have enjoyed developing and nurturing the relationships with regulars over the years. We have gotten to know the shoppers and other vendors and that is fun!
 
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting their own small business?
Do a cost benefit analysis, make sure you have a market for what you would like to sell. Passion is great and is half the battle but make sure there is a need or a desire for what you are producing. 

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Thanks, Miriam and team! We appreciate you joining us this season! Find Odd Society Spirits at NWFM this week (August 11th) from 3-7pm in Tipperary Park.

Pie for Pride Returns!

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Pie for Pride is back! 

After a two year hiatus we’re thrilled to bring back our annual Pie for Pride bake off! 
Join us on Aug 11th at 5:30 to watch our esteemed panel of judges taste the pies submitted by your community members. The winner will receive market money, bragging rights and ETERNAL GLORY. 
The remaining pie will be sold by donation with all proceeds going to New West Pride!

This year’s illustrious judges are 

  • Anita Ansari – school board trustee, past judge (she’s serious about pie!), and pie perfectionist. 
  • Alejandro Diaz – owner of a sophisticated palate and El Santo and Nox Restaurants. 
  • Shannon Dolton – Pride President and official taste tester to her home baking wife. 
  • Patrick Johnstone – City Councillor. When Patrick was asked to judge this contest he said, “This is, with not a hint of hyperbole, the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life.”
  • Chelsea Watt – NWFM Board President, avid home baker, and dedicated fan of all things pie.

 

We hope to see you there!!! 

Vendor Spotlight: First Course Foods

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VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Keep an eye out for our Vendor Spotlight feature where we bring you short interviews with our amazing vendors!

This Week: Summer Breeze Farm

Photo of fruit from Summer Breeze Farm!

Keep tabs on them on their website here! Or follow them on Instagram!

How did your business start?

We started another orchard in 2017. There was a small orchard on the property already but not large enough to share commercially. Each year we expand the orchard and get excited when we find a new variety of fruit to try.
 
What is your favourite part about selling at farmers markets?
Our favourite part about selling at the market is sharing what we have with those who don’t and watching customers try our fruit for their first time. Meeting a diversity of people is awesome and refreshing.
 
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting their own small business?
Anyone starting their own business must have a passion for whatever it is. Be patient and always hopeful and the rewards are there. Always ask questions from those already in the field and if possible work for them to get a better feel of how the business is run.

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Thanks, Lucy and family! We appreciate you joining us this season! Find Summer Breeze Farm at NWFM this week (July 28th) from 3-7pm in Tipperary Park.

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Land Acknowledgement

Our market is grateful to operate on the unceded land of the Qayqayt, Kwikwetlem, and other Halkomelem speaking Peoples. We acknowledge that colonialism has made invisible their histories and connections to the land. We acknowledge the incredible gift this land is to our market and BC Agriculture. We commit to the ongoing work of decolonization and allyship.