3 B.C. entrepreneurs cook up healthy new food products

Healthy innovation from the descendent of an iconic Seattle coffee company, an established Vancouver natural food producer and a Richmond newbie 

Coffee clan
Long before that other Seattle coffee company, brothers William and Ed Manning opened a coffee store at Pike Place Market in 1908, eventually expanding to 50 Manning’s cafés in six states. John Labatt Ltd. of Canada bought Manning’s in 1970 and the last café closed in the ’80s, but now William’s great-granddaughter, Richmond resident and holistic nutritionist Ona Peco, is reviving the family food business with Manning’s Kitchen. Her first product is a healthy dip/spread made from raw cashews, fresh vegetables and spices. Manning’s Kitchen Cashew Dip & Spread is sold in specialty food and grocery stores in the Lower Mainland.

No GMO
Nut butters were Left Coast Naturals’ first product when it launched in Vancouver in 1996. Now the organic and natural food manufacturer and distributor has developed the first food product ever to include nutritional yeast that meets non-GMO project verification: Hippie Foods Tamari & Cracked Pepper Coconut Chips. Left Coast Naturals was the first North American grocery distributor to implement a non-GMO policy.

Winning innovation
Richmond-based Global Gardens Group’s first product—Veggemo—was judged one of 2015’s top 10 innovative new products at the Grocery Innovation Canada trade show last fall. Veggemo is a non-dairy beverage made with pea protein, tapioca and potato and comes in three flavours: original, unsweetened and vanilla. It  is expected to be in grocery stores, pharmacies and health food stores in early 2016.