July 01 2022, Dilawri BC
Our province is home to countless entrepreneurs, and the food industry has its fair share of heavy-hitters. Here, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best born-in-BC snack companies to keep you satiated, no matter your cravings.
SmartSweets
Tara Bosch founded gummy bear company SmartSweets out of Surrey, BC with the intention of creating a healthier alternative to their ultra-sugary counterparts. The cute candies are not only low in sugar (and tasty), they are also gluten-free and made from natural, non-GMO ingredients.
From its HQ in Richmond, BC, Laid Back Snacks runs its business with an “80/20 nutritional philosophy—80% fuel, 20% fun”. Aloha Kauai is one of our favourite blends (banana chips, dried coconut, and macadamia nuts), and 3pm Goji is a crowd pleaser (dark chocolate, dried cranberries, roasted cashews, pecans, and Goji berries).
The Lemon Square, a Vancouver-based pastry company, specializes in baking just one treat—and they do it very well. Not only are these sweet squares indulgent, the brown paper packaging is bona fide cute as well, making them great little gifts.
This superfruit snack-food brand started with addictive kiwi chips, and recently expanded its lineup with a trio of new flavours: orange, mango, and pineapple. All the snacks are healthy, vegan, non-GMO, and naturally sweet for a kick of energy when you need it the most.
Inspired by the popped lotus seed snacks that owner Anamika Gioia ate growing up in India, Sacred Foods are a minimally processed, maximally addictive snack. The seeds are roasted in olive oil, mixed with different flavours such as wasabi or sweet Thai chili, and packed with nutrients.
Vegans, rejoice. The nut-based cheeses made by Victoria-based Very Good Butchers are just the ticket for a heavenly plant-based cheese board. Fun cheese flavours include Bold Cheddah, Pepper Jack, and Goud AF.
North Vancouver chocolatier extraordinaire Thomas Haas is renowned for his rich Chocolate Sparkles that taste like truffles and are made with ground almonds and 70% dark chocolate (the healthy kind of chocolate, right?) We love picking up the frozen cookies for the ultimate bake-at-home snack.
From Blueberry Ginger to Peach Basil, this Vancouver-based company crafts its flavourful kombucha using fruits and flowers grown throughout BC. This antioxidant-rich drink is great for your gut, making it the ideal beverage to wash down snacks.
Born in North Vancouver, Ayoub’s is a family business that uses a tried-and-tested technique for their delicious roasted nuts. Add to that a selection of dried fruits, seeds, and various delightful mixtures of the above, and you have a veritable healthy-snack heaven.
Sweet tooths, take note. The two brothers behind this Vancouver-based small-batch, artisan-crafted toffee company have a multitude of buttery flavours to keep you busy munching (such as Smore, Whitecran, and Hazelnut), while also supporting ethical farmers.
