One of the benefits of being a small independent grocer is our proximity to customers – and to our vendors. We receive no shortage of feedback, and with few (if any) “firewalls” between us and our patrons, we can respond to their suggestions and requests perhaps a little more quickly than the big-box retailers.
One of these suggestions is to continue expanding our lineup of local, ‘artisan’ products. Vince’s already has a robust selection of such items – to supplement the big brands – and we are proud of the small producers represented on our store shelves.
One of these is Staite’s Honey, a small apiary in nearby Zephyr, Ontario that has been producing for more than 25 years. We carry a selection of their honey: wildflower, buckwheat, and raw honey. Also on our shelves is Burke’s Honey from Peterborough. In addition to wildflower and buckwheat, we also sell their clover honey.
What’s the difference? Clover is a mild, light-coloured product, wildflower is a little darker and stronger, and buckwheat is the most distinctive among them. Fun fact: one honeybee, in its lifetime, will collect approximately 2 grams of honey. A hive, however, can have 40,000 to 70,000 workers – that’s a lot of honey!
Dairy is another strength at Vince’s, and among our milk brands, we carry Sheldon Creek – a local producer only 10 minutes from our Tottenham location. They’ve grown their operation since the early 1950s, but are still focussed on providing fresh, natural and minimally processed milk from cows that are treated like family. Each cow has a name – and a detailed family tree!
Their latest offering – A2 milk – is gaining in popularity among those with digestive problems or lactose intolerance. This milk comes from cows that naturally produce milk with only the A2 version of beta-casein, rather than the typical A1 version of the protein, which can cause digestive distress.
Eggs are another staple in the Dairy aisle, and ours come from Gray Ridge Egg Farms in Strathroy, Ontario. They’ve grown the operation significantly since 1934, and now have a product lineup that includes traditional brown and white eggs, nutrient-enriched eggs (which can include added vitamins and omega-3 from enriching the feed), free-run, free-range, and organic eggs.
We could go on, as there are many more local items in our stores than we have space to list. Perhaps we can include a few more in a later blog…
Next time you stop by, take a little extra time to browse and read the labels. You may surprise yourself with a few new local favourites to add to your regular shopping list.
Until next time…
Neil
