Welcome to our new blog series, where we’ll be exploring our commitment to feeding our community today, tomorrow and for generations to come!

For us, sustainability is about so much more than a reusable grocery bag (although that’s important, too!) – it drives everything we do, spanning from our ‘local first’ sourcing approach to our 7-tier waste reduction program and the 90 solar panels on our roof.

What you see on our shelves is a tiny part of our food’s life-cycle; in fact, it’s just the beginning! Our ‘Journey of Our Food’ program ensures that as little food goes to waste as possible, that it reaches all those who need it, and ultimately that it goes back to feed Mother Nature herself!

Every morning, produce trucks arrive at both our stores, brimming with local and thoughtfully sourced fruits + veggies. We’re so proud to work with over 250 farmers, many of which are based right here in Saanich! This means that you’re getting only the very freshest ingredients on your table.

Our produce is painstakingly inspected by our teams every morning, and anything that’s no longer fit for the main stage makes its way to our Ripe + Ready section. This part of the store is packed with lovely fruit and veggies which aren’t turning any heads but are perfectly good to eat and at their most flavorful. After all, it’s what’s on the inside that counts, right? They’re ideal for munching on the journey home, or for blending into smoothies, cakes and sauces.

Sometimes when Mother Nature gives us more produce than we can fit on our shelves, it makes its way to the Rainbow Kitchen (think cases upon cases of mangoes that are sweet, juicy and ready to be enjoyed). Based in Esquimalt, Rainbow Kitchen is a community organization who we are so proud to have worked in partnership with for over a decade. We donate up to 1,000 pounds of produce every week from both store locations, which the Rainbow Kitchen team uses to make nutritious, delicious meals for anyone who needs them.

We are also proud to provide produce to school children via the James Bay After School Program. What began as a small initiative has now evolved to providing fresh fruits + veggies daily to nearly 150 children, entirely free of charge.

When we say ‘Food is Love’, this is what we mean!

Any produce not fit for human consumption is graciously accepted by local farmers and residents who take it back home to their animals. Not only does this help to reduce waste, but it means our beloved furry friends stay happy and well fed too! You’ll find a stand stacked with this produce at our McKenzie Corner store.

We’ve reached the final stop on our journey, a point that just 2% of our produce gets to! That remaining 2% is carefully composted to feed Mother Nature – a girl’s gotta eat! – so that the life cycle can begin once more.

Find the Ripe + Ready section at both our store locations! We look forward to seeing you soon.