A long time ago in a neighbourhood far, far away...(unless of course you live near us in which case it would actually be pretty close by) was SHOP EASY grocery. After awhile it was re-named Pepper's Foods where it garnered a small but loyal following. It won dozens of awards over the years providing outstanding service and an excellent product selection despite possessing only 4000 square feet of retail space (speaking of space, this is supposed to be a take on the opening text crawl of Star Wars because today is May 4th which is Star Wars Day afterall). And just the other day our store was awarded the 2020 Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Award for British Columbia/Yukon Region for Small Surface Category. We compete with stores across the country that are 15000 square feet or less. So we would like to thank the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) for this honour, the entire management team, as well as all of the incredible staff and, of course, our loyal customers for continuing to support and choose us! Thank you!
This is the third week of our Employee Appreciation campaign and today's recipient is Sarah Ross who was hired over 26 years ago as a cashier and has moved up through the ranks to Accounts Payable. But AP is just a small portion of what Sarah does for our store. She looks after our payroll. She logs our inventory. She ensures the computer systems, email accounts, front end POS machiners, tills and numerous other vital systems function properly. She orders and stocks store supplies. Sarah tirelessly worked to get our online store up and running. She has numerous responsibilities related to customer service. Did we mention that she is also the President of the Cadboro Bay Business Improvement Association? At any given time Sarah juggles with quite a few balls in the air but when she's not actually working (which is rare), Sarah will likely be found on a baseball diamond somewhere or voraciously devouring (not literally) a book. Thank you, Sarah, for the work that you do to keep this ship afloat! We couldn't do it without you!
Alright gang, let's talk about the new items that we have for you this week. We're going to kick things off with something that lots and lots of people love: cheddar cheese. but what we have for you is not just any cheddar cheese. This is the cadillac of cheddars. Balderson Reserve 2017 Limited Edition White Cheddar Cheese is quite possibly "the world's finest aged cheddar." Afterall, Balderson has been creating fine aged cheddars since 1881. iI's what they do. It's all they do! But this cheese ain't for the grandchildren. Nope, this is adult gnoshing cheddar that pairs well with full-bodied red wines, dark beers, port or sherry. Best served at or near room temperature.
Fans of our Paqui Haunted Ghost Pepper Chips (freakin' hot) know that the heat comes from real ghost peppers, not a bunch of chemicals. By the way, if you like it spicy then these chips are definitely for you! We've had them for a long time, so we figured it was time to add a few more flavours to the mix. Paqui Zesty Salsa Verde Chips (kinda hot) pairs tangy tamatillo, lime and sour cream flavours into a corn chip that everyone in the whole family can enjoy! And there's also Paqui Mucho Nacho Cheese Chips (not hot), the chip loaded with real organic cheeses and spices. It's a cheese lovers dream snack! Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo so why not go all in with these deliciously spicy (or not) snacks?
Another crispy snack that's new is Quaker Veggie Crispy Minis! Made from puffed brown rice as well as real vegetables like carrot, beet and spinach, these yummy in your tummy snacks come in Balsamic & Bruschetta as well as Italian Herb & Olive Oil flavours! At just 90 calories per serving (16 chips) you can eat 'em guilt free!
Let's keep it rolling with another crunchy semi-savoury snack cracker with a unique yet tasty flavour! Christie Wheat Thins Sweet Potato Crackers are made with whole grain wheat flour and dried sweet potato, as well as contain salt and cinnamon! They are perfectly suitable for eating on their own, straight out of the box, or they can be topped with mild or aged cheeses. They must be good because they've already been selling well!
Fresh lemongrass is an essential ingredient in Thai cooking but the problem with it is that it's not a great seler. So when you go to purchase it, it's often not at it's peak of freshness. And the other problem is that quite often, once you've purchased it, you can't go through it quick enough so it goes to waste. Is there a solution to this dilemma? there is now! With Bart Lemongrass Paste you get that ultra fresh lemony aroma with the citrus taste of fresh lemongrass in a convenient jar! One teaspoon of lemongras paste is equal to one teaspoon of chopped lemongrass. The math is simple! And so is the decision to put this in your basket. It's a no-brainer for sure.
Altight, it's time to get naked. Scratch that. It's time to get a Naked Smoothie off of the shelf in our Produce Department. Naked Smoothies are incredibly fresh and delicious blends of fruit juices with other ingredients that are vegan and contain no added sugars. For example, Green Machine is a combination of apples, mango, banana, kiwi and pineapple with spirulina, alfalfa, broccoli, kale, barley grass, wheat grass, parsley...you get the idea! They're jam packed with fresh and delicious ingredients full of nutrition and goodness. Also try Mighty Mango and Strawberry Banana!
And finally, if that sweet tooth of yours has been calling, you might just have to listen and satiate the urge with Barú Dark Chocolate Covered Marshmallows. Chocolaty coated Jet Puffed these are not. The "fluffy mallows" contain only natural ingredients, from bourbon vanilla to honey and are dipped in a crispy coating of fine dark Belgian or milk chocolate. Available in Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel or Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel, these are the ultimate treat for caving in to temptation.
Remember to have a look at our Cinco de Mayo themed ad this week. We have some great deals on items from every department. And also remember to be kind, not just to others but to yourself! It's amazing how we can handle life's big issues, sometimes surprisingly well, but yet we are incredibly good at sweating the small stuff and we find ourselves coming down hard on ourselves for just being human. We make mistakes. We drop dishes. We forget things. We spill milk. In the grand scheme of things, none of this matters. It's easy to lose sight of the big picture sometimes. So be good to yourself and for gosh sakes, take good care!
Pepper's Foods