Such a Waste
Canadians have a dirty secret. We rank among the worst waste-producing countries in the world, with an average Canadian producing more than 600 kilograms of waste a year, according to a study conducted by waste-management company Sensoneo. When we add in that only about nine per cent of plastic actually ends up recycled and the pandemic has dramatically increased plastic waste, it’s a very sorry state indeed. Thankfully, many of us are rethinking our consumption habits, with the help of some low-waste businesses in the Vancouver area.
Long gone are the days when package-free grocery shopping was obscure or inaccessible. Even amid a pandemic, entrepreneurs and companies are increasingly finding ways to bring low-waste food options to those in Vancouver and its surrounding areas.
Those living low waste aim to follow the “waste hierarchy,” refusing and reducing packaging and other items they do not need, and then reusing or repairing items whenever possible. With so much single-use plastic produced around the world, polluting our environment and harming wildlife, recycling is an imperfect solution and is seen as a last resort after these previous steps. Of course, there’s no such thing as a perfect zer -waste lifestyle, but our actions can add up in remarkable ways.
GROCERY STORES
Although most grocery stores have at least some unpackaged produce and a bulk section, specialized low-waste stores offer customers a way to shop without single-use or disposable packaging from start to finish — everything from granola to yogurt.
Pre-COVID, customers typically brought their own clean containers to be refilled by themselves or store staff. Stores had to adapt to COVID-19 in creative ways that allow shoppers to participate in the circular economy while complying with health restrictions. Some stores offer online shopping, and others offer in-person shopping with restrictions. Often, curbside pickup or delivery are available.
The Soap Dispensary
Vancouver’s first dedicated zero-waste and refill store, The Soap Dispensary, was founded in 2011 by Linh Truong as a store for refill cleaning and personal care products. Now it carriesmore than 800 bulk and refill products, including food. The store’s products and atmosphere are by design. “We are a very intentional business and products are selected with thought and care. We hope that customers walking through our doors will equally arrive at a mindful space within themselves,” Truong says.
In 2020, The Soap Dispensary was forced to adapt to COVID-19. “Vancouver Coastal Health did not allow us to handle our customers’ containers, so we had to use a deposit jar program to keep doing low-waste refilling,” Truong says. “Recently, we were given the green light to refill our customers’ containers again and we are so excited to get back on track, focusing on our mandate to support a low-waste community.”
The Soap Dispensary and Kitchen Staples
3718 Main St., Vancouver, B.C.
thesoapdispensary.com | @thesoapdispensary
Nada
Nada was founded in 2015 by friends Brianne Miller and Alison Carr, who aim to combat plastic pollution and reinvent how Vancouverites shop for food. Their simple-to-use package-free online shopping experience features more than 750 products (many local) and they also provide free local carbon-neutral delivery using Shift Delivery’s bike service.
When COVID-19 hit, Nada transitioned from a self-serve retail grocery store to add online shopping. “There have been lots of challenges and regulations to navigate along the way as we strive to keep our customers, community and team members safe,” Miller says. “We have been able to grow our team and reach customers in new neighbourhoods through delivery, making local and package-free foods more accessible.”
Nada
675 East Broadway Ave., Vancouver, B.C.
nadagrocery.com | 778.806.3783 | @nadagrocery
GROCERIES DELIVERED
There are many reasons why people may not wish to — or are not able to — shop in person. Luckily, low-waste grocery delivery companies bring much-needed accessibility to eco-friendly shop- ping, and the low-waste movement overall. Generally working on a deposit system, these companies drop off containers of food and other goods at a customer’s residence in a reusable tote. The customer sets empty and clean containers out to be picked up, sterilized and reused.
Jarr
Founded by busy mom Emily Sproule, Jarr aims to help people fit eco-friendly shopping into their hectic schedules by providing package-free groceries and personal care items delivered to customers’ doors. Jarr currently delivers to North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and Bowen Island.
Starting a business during a pandemic isn’t easy. “The pandemic initially created huge roadblocks for Jarr,” Sproule says. “With two kids suddenly at home full time, there was no way to jump into grocery delivery, so we had to delay our launch from March 2020 to the end of May. We also knew people weren’t sure about how safe reusables were in the beginning.” She adapted and eventually found that grocery delivery is even more appreciated during these challenging times. “Now, with clear COVID protocols and many people preferring to order online, it’s actually the perfect time to have a zero-waste grocery delivery business. We are proud to be helping people reduce their waste in a time where there is a huge increase in garbage being created with PPE and disposable takeout containers.”
Jarr Package-free Grocery Delivery
jarr.co | @jarrdelivery
Fulfill Shoppe
Sisters Lori Crump and Pam McEwin sought to solve the problem of accessibility within the zero-waste world. They founded Fulfill Shoppe in 2020, which stocks and delivers low-waste groceries and personal care items to customers in the Tri-Cities (Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Port Moody, including Belcarra and Anmore), Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Burnaby, North Vancouver and West Vancouver.
Crump and McEwin recognized that package-free shopping was especially challenging for those living outside of the city. “Fulfill Shoppe focuses on helping people living in the suburbs” with a shopping experience that’s quick, easy and convenient.
Like Sproule, Crump and McEwin recognize the challenges of launching during a pandemic. “The pandemic has had the biggest impact on the processes we have in place on the operations side as well as the products we offer,” Crump says. “We certainly did not think we would be selling as much yeast as we have over the last year. It has been a wild ride to say the least, but the support we have received from our customers and suppliers has been incredible.”
Fulfill Shoppe
551 Sherling Place, Port Coquitlam, B.C.
fulfillshoppe.com | 778.839.2643 | @fulfillshoppe
Livlite
Livlite founder Grace Kennedy is also a mom on a low-waste mission. Driven by the desire to make low-waste living more accessible, Grace Kennedy founded Livlite in 2020 to deliver low-waste groceries and household items to those in Vancouver and North Vancouver.
Kennedy acknowledges the challenges of starting a business and growing a team during the pandemic — including a lack of face- to-face interaction. She is grateful that they have been able to keep the business running. Ultimately, she says, they are “pretty similar to anyone else right now, just trying to balance our needs as individuals and well-being and work.”
Livlite Co.
1116 East Pender St., Vancouver, B.C.
livlite.co | @livliteco
SPUD
Since its inception in 1997, SPUD has been delivering local and organic groceries to customers’ homes. It delivers throughout the Lower Mainland from Hope to Pemberton, in the Thompson Okanagan (Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton and Kamloops) as well as Vancouver Island, Salt Spring Island and Bowen Island. Although not all of its products are low waste, SPUD is a certified B Corporation with a wide variety of eco-friendly initiatives, including stocking local suppliers, selling imperfect produce and reducing food waste. According to SPUD CEO Peter van Stolk, “Most grocery stores have between five to six per cent of food waste. At SPUD, we are at 0.05 per cent.”
Then there’s transportation. “We are carpooling for your groceries,” van Stolk explains. “We optimize our vehicles with 40 plus orders... so we are able to save 40 vehicles travelling to and from the grocery store. SPUD also uses reusable bins, freezer jackets and ice packs, and has a plastic packaging takeback program for select products. It’s currently working on various reusable container programs and ways to reduce reliance on single-use packaging. “The experience we provide our customers with is trust, van Stolk says. “They can trust us that we will always be doing our best to be a global leader in reducing environmental impact, while creating a safe and sustainable food ecosystem for all.”
SPUD
Unit 105, 5566 Trapp Ave., Burnaby, B.C.
spud.ca | 604.215.7783 | @spuddelivers
TAKEOUT
There’s no shame in takeout: many of us love an occasional break from cooking and the ability to try new foods. Takeout is there for us in moments of comfort and times of celebration, but the same cannot be said of all the packaging that comes with it.
Happily, Vancouverites have a low-waste choice for this too.
Reusables
Piloting in Spring 2021 as a membership service, Reusables partners with Vancouver-based restaurants and food businesses to provide takeout options in reusable containers. Currently, takeout can be purchased from four Vancouver locations: Field and Social, Jamjar Canteen, Kula Foods and Bandidas Taqueria. Containers can be rinsed and dropped off at those locations, or picked up by Shift Delivery or Jarr.
Restaurants have faced daunting challenges since the beginning of the pandemic, and takeout is one way to help support them. “Even though it’s been an incredibly challenging time for restaurants, we have been amazed by the uptake of reusable takeout containers,” says co-founder and operations lead Anastasia Kiku. “Working with restaurant owners who understand the importance of sustainable packaging and are eager to lead the adoption of Reusables has been a great privilege.”
Whatever your needs and preferences, one thing is clear: the world of low-waste shopping is opening up and becoming more accessible. It’s great news for customers and the planet.
Reusables
reusables.com | @reusables_takeout
