What is your business called and what does it do?

Summer Fresh. Our goal is to provide North Americans with real food, made with fresh, simple ingredients that they are familiar with and can feel good about eating

What made you want to do this work?

Before I started the company, the fresh gourmet specialty food available in grocery stores and food service did not offer a lot of variety. There was always coleslaw and potato salad, but with limited variety. I wanted the convenience of prepackaged foods but made with fresh, simple ingredients, with a variety of options and flavours to choose from. I really felt there was a need in the marketplace that I could fill, and here we are today, 30 years later!

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

Summer Fresh knows that North Americans are busy but that shouldn’t mean having to sacrifice taste or quality. All of our products are made in small batches, focusing on locally sourced ingredients. Summer Fresh’s Hummus, Dips and Salads can be enjoyed on their own, as a quick snack, a side dish or can be easily transformed to create delicious weeknight recipes, cutting down prep time while delivering incredible flavour.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Our clientele are those looking for freshly made, easy-to-use products that can be incorporated into mindful snacking or simple yet delicious meals. While our clientele is not age-specific, there is a focus on time-pressed families who are still looking to incorporate good-for-you choices into all of their meals and snacks as well.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

We are in the business of making food you can feel good about eating. You can find our salads, dips and hummus’ in most grocery retailers across Canada and the United States.

Where in Toronto can we find your profession?

In Toronto, Summer Fresh products can be found in the refrigerated counters at most grocery stores including: Walmart, Costco, Metro, Sobeys, Loblaws, FreshCo, Food Basics, specialty food stores and more. Additional information can be found at SummerFresh.com

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

What is the benefit of buying Summer Fresh compared to other hummus and dip brands available on the market?

The short answer is taste, quality and ingredient selection. We make all of our products locally and in small batches to ensure they are well made, taste great and are just the right consistency, staying true to the same way we created them 30 years ago. We are also proud to use Canadian chickpeas in all of our hummus varieties.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part of what I do, of course, is I get to have fun with food. I also have the opportunity to combine my love of food with my passion for fashion. With that, I lead Summer Fresh with the belief that “Food is Fashion,” driving us to always innovate, set trends and highlight the most exciting flavour combinations, in our product offerings, from season to season.
When you love what you do, there really are no bad days. I always try to lead our team from the heart and with positivity. I truly pride myself on being a “glass half full” type of person.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

People always joke that working in the food industry, my job must be a lot of “quality control,” or more so, snacking all day. While there is a whole lot to snack on at our offices, there’s so much more that goes into making great-tasting food. Since I started Summer Fresh 30 years ago, I have always been involved in all elements of the company, from recipe development to manufacturing and retail distribution and beyond.

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another Toronto business that you love?

D-drops, which most people don’t know is a Canadian company! It’s a great product for new parents to provide important nutrients for infants and children.

The post Homegrown Business: Summer Fresh – Real Food, Made Fresh! appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

frankly, glasses and sunglasses – we’re a highly curated collected collection of premium, hand-crafted glasses and sunglasses.

What made you want to do this work?

Eyewear is really unique in that it’s the intersection of art and science. We really wanted to create a retail concept that echoed that sentiment and provided a unique and memorable shopping experience. We wanted to establish an environment that allowed clients to really explore a premium product in an approachable manner, while also capturing that juxtaposing creativity of a scientific product.

What problem does this solve?

Glasses, while defined as a medical device, are also art that you can wear on your face! Glasses and/or sunglasses are an opportunity to express your individuality while being able to see better.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Our clientele are those who are looking for something different than what’s stocked in a standard chain eyewear shop. We truly have something for everyone – whether it’s more on the traditional side, more on the avante guard side, or somewhere in the middle.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

frankly, is a boutique shop that sells unique glasses and sunglasses, with or without prescription lenses. We’re currently operating by appointment, due to the lock-down, with in-store and virtual appointments available. Clients can book they’re one-on-one appointment directly through our website or instagram bio. When they visit us in-person in the shop, we’ll give them a tailored fitting experience. We’ll walk them through our product and brand assortment and answer any RX related questions they may have. Ultimately, we’ll work to find a pair of glasses that feels just right for them. With our virtual fittings, we meet over Zoom (very 2020), where we get a sense of what the client is looking for and what they like. We then make a short list together and ship a selection of glasses to the client for an in-home try on session. Whichever appointment type is chosen, our clients get a very hands on experience – so expect great customer service with a the utmost attention to detail.

Where in Toronto can we find your profession?

Our flagship is in Parkdale, at 1530 Queen St. W.

We also have a showroom in Vancouver, BC.

What is the best question a prospective client could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

How is this shop different than all the other eyewear stores out there?

We offer a very curated shopping experience – it’s not the commonly seen “pick off the wall” experience.

The brands we carry are independently owned global brands, that are known for their craftsmanship and quality.

We have something unique for everyone – across budget and style.

We’ve got a very cool shop-in-shop experience from the German brand KUBORAUM, in-store right now. We’re carrying the largest selection of the brand in Canada!

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part is helping people find the “one”… or two! That pair of glasses that they feel really expresses who they are. The worst part is when a client loses their favourite pair before they’re ready to part ways.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

What do you call a dinosaur who lost his glasses?…

Do-you-think-he-sarus!?

PAY IT FORWARD:

What is another Toronto business that you love?
We love our neighbourhood and the businesses that surround us. Some of our faves are: Studio Brillantine, Craigs Cookies, Capital Espresso, Sam James Coffee Bar, Parkdale Pet Foods, and Logas Corner.

The post Homegrown Business: frankly, Hand Crafted Eye Wear appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

With an extended fan base coast-to-coast and increasing popularity in the U.S., Matt & Steve’s is committed to its Made in Canada operations. This is a growing anomaly in today’s market, with 83 per cent of new, branded products launched in Canada being neither developed nor manufactured in Canada. Matt & Steve’s recently moved to a state-of-the-art-facility in Mississauga, where the team of 50+ employees takes the art of pickling to a whole new level.

What do you enjoy most about the industry you’re in?

SM: I have been in the retail and hospitality industry since I started working at the age of 13 as a dishwasher. I feel the industry attracts likeminded people who like to work hard while enjoying themselves along the way.

ML: I enjoy making something tangible; something people eat, enjoy and have fun with.

Best advice you have ever been given?

SM: Time is one thing you can never get back, and learn to say no.

ML: Evaluate cash investments in the business on the long-term return of that money not the initial pain it causes in the month or the quarter.

What is one trait you have, that you find has attributed to your success?

SM: Passion. When you have passion for what you are doing, that passion shines through and is very infectious to all the people you encounter, whether it be members of your team, your vendors or – ultimately – the end user.

ML: Intuitive, decisive, tenacious and being creative

What is the lesson you took the longest to learn?

SM: That I can’t do everything. I am getting better at passing along responsibilities and accountabilities to others so I can focus my time and energy on my strengths.

ML: To wrap plans around people’s skills, not people around plans. I have learnt that everyone has a genius and it is my job, with the help of the person, to find that genius and apply it to company’s needs. The person is super happy because, who doesn’t love doing what they are really good at, and the company is better off because these functions, initiatives or goals are being performed by the best person in your organization to accomplish them.

What makes it all worth it?

SM: What makes it worthwhile for me is building it – the company itself and the brands we have created – and then to receive such positive feedback from our customers.

ML: Every time we break through the next level of business, whether that’s a sales goal or talent acquisition, or lunching a new product. It’s a rush.

What long term goals do you have for Matt & Steve’s?

SM: Last year there was one jar of Extreme Beans consumed every 11 seconds, we want to get that down to one jar every second. We have a lot hustle ahead of us to get there!!

ML: I would like to be a household name in Canada and the U.S.

How do you balance your work and personal lives?

SM: I Don’t, I feel it all blends together for me. Enjoy every min of the ride

ML: I do not think balance works in the traditional sense as a business owner. I think integration makes more sense. My family is part of my work. I often incorporate business trips with my wife or events with my kids. When running a growing company, I believe integration is much more realistic then balance. I am not sure as a small business owner you are truly allowed to check out.

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