Snacking isn’t what it used to be—and that’s the point. Across British Columbia, food and beverage brands are reworking everyday indulgences with cleaner ingredients, lower sugar and added functional benefits. From plant-based proteins to alcohol-free drinks and fruit-forward sodas, these products are designed to satisfy cravings without the usual trade-offs. The result is a new generation of snacks and sips that blur the line between treat and better choice.
1. Purdys No- Sugar-Added Chocolates
After more than a century of selling high-end treats, Purdys Chocolatier has introduced no-sugar-added versions of its classics, including its salted caramels ($30). The 12-piece set offers the same creamy texture and flavour as the original, sweetened with plant-based maltitol for just one gram of sugar per bite.
2. Big Mountain Foods Meat-Free Proteins
Lifelong vegans and flexitarians may know Big Mountain Foods’ meat-free protein alternatives from grocery stores across Canada and the U.S., but the brand actually started in Vancouver’s Kitsilano in 1987. They offer 14 plant-based, mostly allergen-free options, including the Original Veggie Patty, CauliCrumble Veggie Grounds and Broccoli Boost Veggie Grounds.
3. Farming Karma Fruit Co Sodas
Okanagan farmers Karma and Kuku Gill have kept their family orchard thriving for three decades, but now they’ve grown something new by turning their fruit into no-added-sugar, preservative-free soda. Farming Karma Fruit Co crafts all-natural, lightly carbonated sodas from Okanagan fruits like nectarine, cherry, pear and apple ($7.99 per four-pack), and has expanded to a mocktail line featuring flavours like Conscious Cosmo and Mellow Mimosa ($9.99 per four-pack).
4. Hardbite Chips Root Vegetable Line
While we admit fried chips aren’t technically “good for you,” Surrey’s Naturally Homegrown Foods have changed the narrative with Hardbite Chips. Their root vegetable chips come in fun flavours like Eat Your Parsnips, 18 Carrot Gold, Drop’n Mad Beets and The Beet Goes On, and are often found lining the aisles of your major local grocer.
5. In Good Company Mocktails
Founded in 2025, In Good Company makes functional, zero-proof mocktails infused with adaptogens and caffeine. Each can has 50 mg of green coffee bean extract, four grams of prebiotic fibre and natural compounds for relaxation and mental clarity. Their four flavours—The Comeback, 21 Coastline, Capitol Peak and Holy Smoke ($25 per four-pack)—are available at specialty retailers.
6. Daiya Foods Inc. Dairy-Free Cheese
Girl dinner is a little more difficult for the lactose intolerant and those who steer clear of animal products altogether, but Burnaby-based dairy-free cheese creators Daiya Foods have solved the issue. Their line of plant-based dairy products—from block, shredded and sliced cheese alternatives to pizzas and “cheezecakes”—can be found at major grocers.
