Vendor Feature: Jenns Woodworks

I admire people who work with wood. Wood is such a beautiful medium. Thank you, Jenns Woodwork for this lovely piece!

Who is Jenns Woodwork?

There is also a bit of a story to that live edge maple piece. The tree was located in the backyard of my fathers house on Vancouver island. Some squirrels nestled into one of the crotches of the tree and sadly the tree began to die. My dad tried everything to save the tree and keep it healthy, however the disease made its way to the roots and the poor maple tree was dying off. My Uncle was called in to assess the felling of the tree, as he has worked in forestry for many years.

—-Story behind this charcuterie board

Hi! I’m James Enns

I’m the owner of Jenns Woodworks, a small studio/workshop. I’m drawn to the prospect of taking raw materials and forming them into something truly unique, inspiring, useful and beautiful.

Whether the piece is a painting, a desk, a table or some of my smaller items. I strive to deliver quality and perfection. I enjoy being able to channel my creativity into my work and deliver stunning pieces of art to my clients.

If you have a project in mind, contact me so we can make it happen together.

https://www.jennswoodworks.com/

https://instagram.com/jennswoodworks

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Vendor Feature: Shameless Buns

I love the name “Shameless Buns”! It makes me smile when I repeat it…. Thank you for the special treat!

Who Is Shameless Buns?

1. When and why did you start your business? We started Shameless because we saw an opportunity to highlight Filipino food in a new and exciting way! Filipinos are one of the fastest growing populations in Canada with very little culinary representation. We designed our concept to be fun, delicious and approachable for everyone!
2. What was your background? Matt has a very eclectic background consisting of acting, marketing and sales. He caught the entrepreneur bug and decided to take his love of food and do one of the craziest things you can do! Start a food business! Corvette worked in retail management for many top global brands. Matt convinced her to quit her cushy career and go all in on a food truck.
3. What is special about your products? Our sinigang Chicharon is an homage to every Filipinos favourite tamarind soup – Sinigang! One of our team members created it on when he was playing around in the kitchen and the rest is history.

Shameless Buns has a brick and mortar restaurant in Vancouver and 2 food trucks! We are hoping to expand all over Canada and become Jollibee 2.0!

Check them out!

https://linktr.ee/Shamelessbuns

https://instagram.com/shamelessbuns

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Vendor Feature: Mae’s Seasonings

Spices add excitement to life! I love that they can change up everything from sweet to savoury in the kitchen. Thank you, Mae’s Seasonings!

Who is Mae‘s Seasonings?

1) When and why did you start your business?

Well I started these products when I was a professional chef managing kitchens. They were so popular, so I started this business when Covid hit as I got laid off. It gave me the time to concentrate on this.

The reason I started making them is I couldn’t find any to order that had full flavours with low salt my blends are full flavoured with a extremely low salt content .

2) What is special about your products?

They are all naturally gluten free and additive free. Other facts : I have a few very original like chipotle cocoa and maple garlic that are extremely popular.

Check them out!

https://maesseasonings.com/

https://instagram.com/maesseasonings

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Vendor Feature: Homemade By Harris

Pretty cookies are like works of art. Thank you, Homemade By Harris!

Who is Homemade By Harris?

1. Why and when did you start your business? I launched Homemade By Harris in September 2021. I fell in love with decorating cookies and I wanted to create a space where I could really focus on that.
2. What was your background? I always knew I wanted to be a baker. I did the Baking and Pastry Arts: Patisserie program at VCC in 2010 and have been working in bakeries ever since.

3. What was special about your products? What I love most about my cookies is how versatile they are. A simple cookie dough can be turned into an endless array of designs. It allows me to be creative and work with my customers to design a cookie set that fits the theme of their event. My recipe can also be made Vegan, and gluten friendly!
4. What else would you like to share? While Homemade By Harris is primarily decorated sugar cookies, I do have a line of non decorated cookies as well that is always being added to. Right now I have a Classic Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle, Lemon Coconut, Double Chocolate Caramel M&M, and a Vegan Confetti Cookie.

Check her out!

https://www.homemadebyharris.ca/

https://instagram.com/homemadebyharris

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Vendor Feature: The Hangry Unicorn

Healthy snacks definitely help me when I am on the road. Thank you, The Hangry Unicorn for sending my these delicious and healthy snacks!

Who Is The Hangry Unicorn?

1) Why and when did you start your business?

Hangry Unicorn Snacks is an innovative snack business started in 2022 by Asian-Canadian female entrepreneurs with a passion for food, healthy & beauty.

2) What was your background?

Originally born & raised in Hong Kong, Vyvyan & Esther have been best friends and are professionally successful in other fields (i.e. lawyer + HR Director!) in Vancouver prior to deep-diving together in the food manufacturing industry.

It is our dream to combine our skills and talents to bring into production a variety of magically delicious snacks that satisfy daily hangry cravings & WOW the taste buds of discerning foodies at the same time. Our goal is to create super tasty treats with wholesome, organic ingredients, coupled with the added health benefits of beauty-stimulating nutrients such as Collagen, Omega-3 and Biotin. 

3) What is special about your products?

Hangry Unicorn Snack Bars contain at least 1 gram of Hydrolyzed Collagen per bar – so that you can enjoy a guilt-free snack while feeling energized & looking fabulous!

Hangry Unicorn Collagen+ Bars come in 3 delicious flavours:

A) Milk Chocolate x Whole Nuts Bar (Collagen+) – $4.99/bar

B) Tropical Fruit x Coconut Bar (Collagen+) – $4.99/bar

C) Dark Cocoa x Hazelnut Bar (Collagen+) – $4.99/bar

Q: What’s so magical about Hangry Unicorn’s Collagen-Infused Snacks? 

A: Collagen is a super-power protein that provides our skin with youthful elasticity and hydration. It is also proven to relieve joint pain, increase muscle mass and prevent bone loss. As we age, the breakdown of collagen speeds up in our bodies and it gets harder for us to produce more collagen. Collagen supplements have been shown to contribute to healthier hair and nails, both in strength, thickness and rate of growth.

Q: What options do you have for Plant-based / Vegan / Vegetarian snack consumers? 

A: Our Hangry Unicorn Plant-Based Cookies contains Vegan Collagen Booster to help boost the body’s natural collagen production, and help reduce the rate of breakdown of the collagen protein.

Check them out!

The Hangry Unicorn

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Vendor Feature: Gingerdog

I love the spicy feeling ginger gives me. It warms me to the core! Thank you, Gingerdog for sharing these with me!

Who is Gingerdog?

Hi Vivian, here’s the answers to your questions. I’ve answered them all 🙂

1) Why and when did you start your business?

My husband has always been a big fan of ginger and was on the hunt for a ginger shot that packed a punch, but was unable to find one in the market. The available options were either too sour, too bitter, or simply not potent enough. That’s when I decided to experiment with creating my own ginger shot. After finding the perfect recipe, I knew that there were others out there who would appreciate it just as much as my husband did. In June 2022, I started selling my ginger shots at the Burnaby Farmers Market and was delighted to find that we sold out on our very first day at the market.

2) Next,what was your background?

I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources from SFU Beedie School of Business, and after an internship at Ericsson in Vancouver, I decided to move to London, England. During my time there, I had the opportunity to work as the Head of HR at a health tech venture company.

3) Some interesting facts about your product?

If you’re someone who craves the strong, spicy taste of ginger with added health benefits, then GingerDog’s Ginger Booster is the perfect choice for you. Our ginger shot is the only one on the market with a potent ginger flavor, complimented by the sweetness of apple and acerola cherry. We’re proud to use just four wholesome ingredients and absolutely no added water, sugar or preservatives, ensuring that you get the best quality and taste in every sip.

Our ginger shots come in both single and multi-shot bottles. The recommended daily dose is a single shot, which provides natural health benefits for both immunity and digestion. We take pride in using only organic Peruvian ginger, which provides a pleasant kick and enhances the overall taste of our ginger shots.

4) Finally, anything else you would like to share?

We’re incredibly grateful for the support and love we’ve received from both local supermarkets and customers, which has allowed us to expand and grow our business. Currently, our products are available in 25 different retailers, as listed in the link below. We’re thrilled to share that we’ll soon be available at Nature’s Fare markets within the next few weeks, enabling us to reach ginger enthusiasts in the Okanagan area. We couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity.

Check them out!

Gingerdog

https://gingerdogdrinks.com/pages/where-to-find-us

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Vendor Feature: Relit Yourself Candle & Co

Ever wonder what a Bellini smells like in a candle? That’s what Relit Yourself candles has… a Bellini candle! Thank you for the gift!

Who is Relit Yourself Candles & Co?

1) Why and when did you start your business?
I started Relit Yourself in October 2021. I LOVE candles and my usual go to place to buy candles didn’t have a Canadian website at the time. My husband had a great idea and suggested I make my own and that they can be cleaner since our daughter and one of our dogs have some environmental allergies.

2) What was your background?
I’m an HR Guru! I knew absolutely nothing about candles until I did a deep dive. I wouldn’t call myself an expert but I’m pretty damn close to being one 🙂

3) Any interesting facts about your product?
Our candles are 100% PURE soy wax. That means there aren’t any additives added.
We use rich fragrance oils that are BOTH paraben and phthalate free
We use cotton lead free wicks for a cleaner burn, no dyes and you can reuse your candle vessels.

Even though I’m the face of Relit Yourself, I’m not alone. My husband and daughter help behind the scenes and we do everything ourselves from pouring the wax, labelling, shipping etc…and we absolutely love it!

4) Is there anything else you would like to share?
Check out our website and stay tuned for what we have in store for 2023! We appreciate all the love and support.

Check her out!

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Vendor Feature: Jettsy Naturals

Ever wonder what to use to give your canine friend a bath? Check out Jettsy Naturals! Thank you for the gift.

Who is Jettsy Naturals?

1. Why and when did you start your business? I started the business in June of 2021. I started because my dog has allergies and I was struggling to find a product that was safe for her.
2. What was your background? I learned on how to calculate recipes from my mom who has been a formulating handcrafted soap for years and had much experience.
3. What is special about your products? We PH test each batch to ensure it’s safe for dogs
4. Anything else you want to share? Auditioned for Dragon’s Den!

Check them out!

https://www.jettsynaturals.com/

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Vendor Feature: Usagi Tea

Do you like to drink matcha tea? I do! Thank you Usagi Tea for your gift!

Who is Usagi Tea?

1) Why and when did you start your business?

Usagi Tea was founded by Jessica and Bonnie and launched in April 2022. Throughout the years, we tried matcha from different grocery stores to local cafes and had yet to find a consistent high quality matcha at a reasonable price that we both enjoyed. This helped curate the idea of starting something together. Usagi Tea exists today because we wanted to give consumers more options to a reasonably priced high quality matcha.

2) Next, what was your background?

Jessica and Bonnie both work in corporate. They were previously colleagues who quickly bonded over food, travel, and matcha! We both come from an asian upbringing, so we are both accustomed to consuming tea since we were young. 

3) Some interesting facts about your product?

We are very proud of the quality of our matcha. We love hearing compliments from those who have given us a try! 😊

Matcha is a great substitution for those who are tired of having a caffeine crash in the afternoon. Unlike coffee, our bodies tend to process the caffeine found in matcha more slowly, which in result gives us alertness throughout the day. Matcha has a multitude of other health benefits such as antioxidants, promotes relaxation, helps with metabolism, and so much more.

4) Anything else you would like to share?

10% Discount code for any of your followers who are interested in giving us a try! 😊 Just use CHOCOVIV10 at checkout.

Thanks again for reaching out and collaborating with us! Much appreciated.

Regards,

Jessica and Bonnie

Usagi Tea

Check them out!

https://linkpop.com/usagitea/

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Vendor Feature: Miproduction

I loved languages. I was studying Japanese on my own, but needed to advance to the next level. That’s when I found, Misaki of Miproduction!

Who is Miproduction?

1) Why and when did you start your business?

I was teaching at a Japanese school in 2016 when I first moved here in Canada. Ever since, I have helped many Japanese learners as a 1:1 tutor both in person and online. I started it as my online business on a full scale in 2020 when the pandemic hit hard.

I always wanted to have my own business but I didn’t know how to do it and when to start. The period gave me the opportunity to start up something new.I felt the possibility of online learning. So I decided to teach Japanese which I have always been passionate about. 

2) What was your background?

I was teaching English for children aged 0-18 years old at a private English school in Kyoto, Japan. I was working as a wedding stylist who assists couples getting married in Tokyo before that. Through these different experiences, I came to realize that teaching is something I would like to pursue as my long term life carrier. This is also the reason to bring me here in Canada. I finished Japanese instructor courses and ECE (Early childhood education) here in Vancouver. I am currently working at a local preschool. 

3) Some interesting facts about your product?

We offer a few Japanese learning courses for school age children, teens and adults. Our focus is “connection” over memorizing phrases or letters. We offer an exciting experience for individuals in order to connect our beautiful language and culture. For instance, if you are interested in a specific topic, we can dig in more about it. We believe that we learn the best when it is meaningful. 

4) Is there anything else you would like to share?

Fun fact about me. I love good food. I always look for good food in town! I cook by myself too. Mostly Japanese food!

Misaki Sekine

MI production-Japanese language and culture Education for Kids

Check her out!

https://linktr.ee/miproduction.ca_

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