While the long lines outside the local Costco wholesale stores and the numerous pictures of empty grocery shelves give an impression that the food industry remains robust in the times of COVID-19, that is not the case for small, independent producers here in B.C. - and one local supplier is doing something about it.
Last week, Victoria-based Canadian Artisan Foods - which usually distributes B.C. and Canadian non-perishable organic products ranging from chocolates and coffee to honey and spices - launched an experimental project called the "Emergency Pantry Food Box," containing 17 products that's deliverable to addresses anywhere within the province.
Owner and president Philippe Taillefer said the inspiration came because - as a supplier who is directly connected to more than 100 B.C. food producers who sell small-batch high-quality food goods to 500 stores - he has seen firsthand the damage that has been done to the local industry by the COVID-19 outbreak and its economic shadow.
"It's kind of counterintuitive," Taillefer said. "Unfortunately, for small food producers, the situation is not great because of the changes we are seeing. Farmers' markets are closed; food events and festivals, which are very big for small producers to promote themselves, have been cancelled. Consumers have been told to buy online and make fewer trips; and when people shop online, they don't browse for those little local products that make their days special. They are going for the very basics."
Taillefer's account corroborates with images of goods being cleared at at Metro Vancouver supermarkets, with consumer habits during times of crisis leaning towards mass quantity and established national (or international) brands versus artisan producers. As traditional direct-to-market access like farmers' markets shut off and consumers not going to independent grocers to shop, it is becoming more and more challenging for B.C.-produced artisan food products to reach their intended target.
The fact that many supermarkets that may carry the goods now limit the number of people in their stores - putting space at a premium and taking away from the usually ubiquitous free-sample kiosks that often showcase independent local goods - add another level of difficulty for local producers, Taillefer said.
"All product launches have been stopped," he noted. "There are no new listings. And, to top it all off, payments have been delayed across the supply chain. So a lot of big chains are now paying on 90 days - and that's very difficult for a small producer."
That's where the Emergency Pantry Food Box idea comes in. Taillefer's goal is to create an online-order product that conforms to what B.C. consumers' habits have become during times of crisis. Customers can order a simple package at $100 per box (wholesale price), which contains products like Vancouver's BC Buzz honey, Okanagan's Skippy's Kettle Corn and the local Pedro's Organic Coffee, and expect delivery at their doors in 1-3 business days depending on location.
Taillefer said his small team of five at his company has been making gift boxes for family and friends for a while now, but thought the online-package idea was perfectly applicable to reach B.C. consumers at these times.
"People are cooking more... and I think the opportunity is there for people to discover wonderful new recipes and flavours - as well as reconnect with the people who are making products right here in our province," he said. "Basically, we are selling to consumers with the same price we are selling to the stores, and you get to support B.C. and Canadian brands that make wonderful products. This is what we as a company can do to help [the industry]; and with the pandemic, I think everybody now realizes how important it is to have a strong local food system. We can't rely on foods coming from too far away."
Given the popularity of home delivery grocery services, Taillefer said he is aware there's a chance consumer demand will be overwhelming if the idea catches on. But he added Canadian Artisan Foods is used to handling high volumes, and any initial wave of demand should only lead to small delays that are resolvable in days.
"If the demand does all come at once, people will only have to wait a bit," he said. "And that'd be a nice problem to have."
