This Commerce Life

Jennay Oliver is a fourth-generation farmer,  that runs Paynter's Fruit Market in Kelowna. Her great-grandfather started the farm in 1919.  We need more farmers in this country.    check out Paynter's here: https://www.payntersfruitmarket.ca/ Find Jennay here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennay-oliver-131420b3/?originalSubdomain=ca   Thank you to Peter Boyd for connecting us. Thank you to Field Ag...

Mike Nunn comes on to talk automation, AI and how to help companies save some time and free up their folks to do other things. Find Mike Nunn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikednunn/ Check out TLC solutions here: https://tlcitsolutions.com/   Thank you to David Vannucci for our new music in our intro.    

She's committed to the economic advancement of women. Natalie Frederick Wilson is  from Barbados, raised in New York City, and currently living in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-frederick-wilson-338b1873/  

We finish the year with the fabulous Kyla King, CEO and Founder of Rad Jamz. She's a  Red Seal Chef that leaned into her love for jam.   You can find Kyla here: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kyla-king-32911b2a9 If you want to check out Rad Jamz, you can head here: https://radjamz.co/store/ use coupon code: PK20 for a discount!   Thank you to LGDF Wholesale for sponsoring this episode: www.lgdf.ca    

Claudio Perazzo started Italian Meat Master with one goal in mind: to make a positive impact on Canadians' diet, cleaning and improving iconic comfort foods like sausages and cured meats     Check out Italian Meat Master here: https://www.italianmeatmaster.com/ You can find Claudio here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudio-perazzo-22747317a/ Thank you to La Grotta Del Formaggio (LGDF Wholesale) fo...

Brian Bradley started working at Safeway in high school, initially with no plans to stay long-term, but he ended up rising through the ranks due to mentorship and opportunities.  Find out what he thinks about Stong's and what comes next.    Find Brian Bradley here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-bradley-a404199/ Shop Stong's here: https://www.stongs.com/ If you're curious about the retailer pan...

People are always thirsty. Wolseley Kombucha is on track for it's best year ever. Michelle Leclerc talks about their success and what's next. In case you think this is an ordinary podcast hint, it's not - they've saved over 150,000 1L bottles from landfills.    Check out Wolseley Kombucha here: https://www.wolseleykombucha.com/ Find Michelle Leclerc here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-lecla...

Tatsuo Kan is the owner of Kojo, and founder of Kizuna. He came to Canada because he felt like it was the right thing to do. 4 kids, a bunch of restaurants later, he hasn't stopped moving - he now has two restaurants and a sake line and a sauce line.    check out Kizuna here: https://www.kizunasauces.com/ Find Kojo here: https://sushikojo.com/

He retired, started a business, retired again. Ran a triathalon, got his bike stolen, bought a bar and the rest is history.  Blair Wilson is the Founder of Forbidden Spirits.  We wouldn't have met him if Peter Boyd didn't drag us to the Kelowna Farmer's Market.    Find Blair here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairwilsonforbiddenspirits/ shop Forbidden spirits here: https://forbiddenspirits.ca/

We take a tour of Pealow's Your Independent Grocer with Brian Pealow. We're blown away by his focus on local, and helping the community out. Surprise surprise, he knows Peter Boyd.    Pealow YIG is here: https://www.yourindependentgrocer.ca/store-locator/details/1734 Find Brian here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-pealow-b-b-a-h-130a844a/  

Rochelle teaches us about kombucha. Phil meets Oprah.  MotherLove Ferments is a Kelowna-based business that is dedicated to creating healthy and tasty ferments. We had a great talk with Founder Rochelle to learn more about their story.   Shop MotherLove here: https://www.motherloveferments.com/ Find Rochelle here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochelle-minagawa-7617491a5/

Stephanie Horman has a plan to give back. It's called Cabin 5 granola, and it's awesome.  This was recorded during our last trip out to Kelowna at the end of August, and we're sorry it took so long to get this out.    check them out here: https://cabin5granola.ca/ Find Stephanie here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-horman-a9046759/

Cam Bruce, owner of Famous Foods in Vancouver talks about coming to retail late in life, and what it takes to be successful  as an independent grocer.    Shop Famous Foods here: https://www.famousfoods.ca/    

From 1 to 150. Ben Osmow talks about the Osmow family hustle, building a business from scratch and introducing Ontarians to shwarma. If you're from Ontario, "chicken on the rocks" is like a whopper or a big mac. You have the Osmows to thank for that.   check out Osmow's here: https://osmows.com/ find Ben Osmow here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benosmow/    

We talk to Kurstin Leith and Christine about helping brands, how to know when you're ready for expert help like Agency Brand Management.    Find Kurstin Leith here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurstin-leith-68832131/ Find Christine De Biasio here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-de-biasio-1444a914/   Check out Agency here: https://agencybrands.ca/

We hung out  with Marie Morden and Haddas Lederman to talk about Ontario Made.  A pandemic initiative that has been growing like crazy and creates a lot of exposure for SMBs.    This podcast is produced in Ontario, but without amazing Canadian made brands, we wouldn't be here ❤   Find Marie here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-morden-61529814/ Find Haddas here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadda...

There's always time to talk about coffee. Founder of  Smoking Gun Coffee Brandon Liton talks about moving from social work to roasting coffee.   Connect with Brandon here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-litun-739b242b0/ Find the cafe and Smoking Gun products here: https://smokingguncoffee.com/

We get a chance to talk to the guy who might make the best butter we've ever tasted. Bill van Nes talks about his transition to organic farming and the establishment of his creamery, St Brigid's butter. Wondering about the dairy industry? Heard about the milk quota but don't know what it is? Bill talks about this. We learn a ton about the dairy industry.    shop St Brigid's Butter: https://www.stb...

We get a whole episode this time with Tareq Hadhad, Founder of Peace by Chocolate.    check out Peace by chocolate here: https://peacebychocolate.ca/   You can find Tareq here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tareqhadhad/    

"All tomato school stories stay in tomato school." Dwayne Boudreau  talks about challenges for brands growing up in Atlantic Canada. We talk about his experience from HJ Heinz, Cavendish Farms, Nestlé Foods, and Greco Pizza and celebrate some of the amazing brands that have come out of Atlantic Canada.    Find Dwayne here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwayne-boudreau If you're not signed up for the...

In 1999, it all started as a labour of love with Nova Scotian entrepreneurs Gerry McConnell and the late Dara Gordon.  Head Winemaker Jean-Benoit Deslauriers talks about the process of setting up a "new" winery, and how long it takes for great wine to take hold.    Thank you to Food and Beverage Atlantic for connecting us with Benjamin Bridge. To find out more about FBA: https://atlanticfood.ca/  ...

We're walking the show in today's episode. If you ever wanted to know what retail folks talk about during show walks, this is the episode for you. Come along with us, we're going to walk some aisles with some of our friends.  Thank you to Izzy  (Izabella Shaker), Christine De Biasio and Coby Palidwar for walking us through some of their really cool brands.    Find:  Izabella here: https://www.link...

Paloma & Andrew created a place where culture, quality and respect come together as Paz Bakery. As the maker of the ball-shaped Cheese Dots, Lara and her husband Andrew Hoto have spent a good amount of time distinguishing between their Brazilian-inspired snack and that sedate, spherical milk product taking up space on charcuterie boards or the deep-fried bad decision also bearing the cheese ball n...

Like many pet food companies, Rob & Geraldine Brouwer didn't start out thinking they would create a dog food company. They started by simply trying to feed their dog the best food possible.  Big Country Raw started d2c and never looked back.   Check out Big Country Raw here: https://bigcountryraw.ca/   Check out Ontario made here: https://supportontariomade.ca/

Michael Clark is the Winemaker, General Manager and co-owner of Clos du Soleil. We stop to sample some beautiful wines, talk about the winery, how Michael approaches wine making, and what consumers should know about the wine business in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valley   Check out Clos du Soleil here: https://www.closdusoleil.ca/