I followed the trail of my favourite pesto and plant-based cheese sauce and it led me all the way to Quebec, and Le Grand and co-founder Tatiana Bossy.

In this episode of Aisle 42 Tatiana shares her journey through the business world of the once trendy now mainstream plant-based movement. We talk about her approach to wholesome ingredients and their efforts to source products from suppliers who give a damn about people and the planet. Tatiana also envisions a future where dairy-free and high-quality products truly make consumers' lives easier - which is something we can all appreciate.

We also talk about their bold expansion into Western Canada and we even give a shout out vegan celebrities Pamela Anderson and Bryan Adams.

To learn more about these products and where to find them go to https://lovelegrand.com.

To learn more about who’s behind this podcast go to: https://www.ethicalfoodgroup.com/podcast

Here’s a quick summary of this interview:

Global Phenomenon: Tatiana Bossy discusses how the plant-based movement has transformed from a fringe trend to a global phenomenon.

Focus on Health and Wellbeing: Emphasis on improving health, wellbeing, and energy through plant-based nutrition.

Sustainability Efforts: Le Grand focuses on sustainability by using real plant-based ingredients and sourcing from conscientious suppliers.

Local and International Sourcing: They aim to buy more from Canadian suppliers but also source sun-dried tomatoes from Turkey due to climate constraints.

Celebrity Endorsements: Tatiana shares a story about Pamela Anderson and Bryan Adams, both committed vegans, trying Le Grand's products.

Missed Endorsement Opportunity: Pamela Anderson tried Le Grand's products but didn't publicly endorse them, which Tatiana found unfortunate.

Product Availability: Le Grand's mac and cheese sauce is now available at Whole Foods and will be promoted throughout the summer.

Negotiations with Save-On-Foods: Tatiana is negotiating with Save-On-Foods to bring their mac and cheese sauce to stores in the fall.

Independent Grocers: The mac and cheese sauce will also be available at various independent grocers across the West.

Positive Reception: Corwin Hiebert praises Le Grand's products, expressing gratitude for their quality and the passion behind their creation.

This episode is an Aisle 42 first because we're talking about pets. Pet food commands serious shelf space in most of our grocery stores (and of course the category thrives in speciality stores and online) - all of it fuelling a global market worth around $150 billion in annual revenue.

The more we dug into consumer demands, values-based shopping treads, and the environmental impact of this industry the more we knew we’d need to chat with someone about it.

So I chatted with Christine Mallier from Petcurean, a BC-based company renowned for its commitment to producing premium, sustainable pet food.

We talked about their approach to pet food innovation, alternative proteins, ethically sourced ingredients, smart nutrition profiling and diet personalization using AI, their teams’ deep commitment to environmental stewardship, and even a wild picture of the future where the pet owners’ shopping experiences could also be augmented reality.

To learn more about this future-thinking pet nutrition company go to https://petcurean.com.

To learn more about who’s behind this podcast go to https://www.ethicalfoodgroup.com/podcast.

Here’s a summary of this interview:

Here are the 10 bulleted highlights from the interview with Christine Mallier:

Vision for the Future of Pet Stores: Christine envisions a future where pet nutrition, sustainability, technology, and consumer experience converge, featuring smart nutrition profiling using AI and augmented reality tours.

Sustainability Initiatives: Petcurean focuses on using sustainable and ethically sourced ingredients, recyclable packaging, and operating stores with renewable energy and zero waste.

Innovative Pet Nutrition: Christine discusses the importance of insect protein in pet food, highlighting its environmental benefits, hypoallergenic properties, and the success of Petcurean's insect-based pet food products.

Commitment to Recyclable Packaging: Petcurean has signed the Pet Sustainability Coalition Packaging Pledge, aiming to transition the majority of their packaging to recyclable by 2025.

Transparency and Accountability: Petcurean publicly shares their sustainability goals and progress, including a significant reduction in their scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 40%.

Community and Environmental Support: Petcurean donates meals to pets in need, supports habitat restoration projects, and encourages employee volunteering.

Focus on Reducing Waste: The company has achieved zero waste at their head office, reducing waste to landfill by 86% and continuing to improve waste management practices.

Use of Upcycled Ingredients: Petcurean has launched treats for dogs made with certified upcycled ingredients, reducing food waste and promoting sustainability.

Celebrity Endorsement: Christine expressed a desire for Taylor Swift to endorse Petcurean, highlighting her influence and alignment with the brand's values.

Sustainability Reporting: Petcurean publishes an annual sustainability impact report, detailing their efforts to protect the planet, empower their team, and uplift communities.

Food is medicine is a fitting description for this one as we dive back into the world of gut health and hydration healing.

In this episode of Aisle 42 we chat with Karen Danudjaja, the visionary founder of Blume and we talk about blending function and flavour to boost our health rituals, the delicious organic latte mixes and water elixir blends they make and we even talk about my beloved flavour… Birthday Cake!

Her teams’ commitment to wellness innovation and to being plastic negative is a beautiful thing. Enjoy!

Learn more about these remarkable superfoods and wellness rituals at https://itsblume.com.

Learn more about who’s behind this podcast at https://www.ethicalfoodgroup.com/podcast.

Here’s a summary of this interview:

Perfect Grocery Store Vision: Karen envisions a grocery store with an educated team that can share the stories and benefits of products, emphasizing consumer education over brand layout.

Birthday Cake Latte Success: Blume's Birthday Cake Superfood Latte, initially a limited edition to celebrate the company's sixth anniversary, received such positive feedback that it became a permanent product.

Product Lineup: Blume focuses on superfood lattes and their new Superbelly line. Superfood lattes aim to replace sugary, caffeinated drinks with healthier alternatives, while Superbelly supports hydration and gut health.

Gut Health Education: Karen highlights the importance of gut health, linking it to immune function, mood, and overall well-being. She emphasizes that supporting gut health can be achieved through simple, daily rituals.

Organic Ingredients and No Refined Sugar: Blume's products use organic ingredients and avoid refined sugars, opting for natural sweeteners like coconut sugar or date sugar.

Unique Ingredients: Each product has a unique ingredient profile tailored to different health benefits, such as blue spirulina and lavender for sleep support in their Blue Lavender Latte.

Inspiration and Founding of Blume: Karen was inspired to start Blume due to her own wellness journey and the challenges she faced with digestive issues, stress, and the confusing supplement market.

Plastic Neutral Commitment: Blume is committed to sustainability, partnering with Clean Hub to offset their plastic use by diverting plastic waste from oceans in areas like Southern India.

Product Availability: Blume products are available on their website, Amazon, Whole Foods, Target, Loblaws, and Indigo, with upcoming launches in Sprouts and expanded Whole Foods locations in the US.

Consumer Customizability: Blume allows consumers to sweeten their drinks to taste, providing flexibility and promoting a reduced sugar intake, which aligns with their health-conscious mission.