What do the Canadian Shield, a fourth-generation family business, and a trade show floor in Germany have in common? Wild rice — and one of the most remarkable food origin stories you've never heard.

In this episode of This Commerce Life, Phil Chang and Kenny Vannucci sit down with Matt Ratuski, fourth-generation owner of Floating Leaf Fine Foods, whose family has been harvesting Canadian wild rice since 1935. From his great-grandfather trading fish with First Nations communities in Keewatin, Ontario, to building one of Canada's first wild rice processing facilities, Matt's story is equal parts frontier history and modern food entrepreneurship.

We dig into how Canadian wild rice is still harvested the old-fashioned way — in remote rivers, streams, and bogs across northern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario — and why that makes it fundamentally different from the cultivated rice grown in the U.S. We also cover the deep, multi-generational relationships with First Nations harvesters, the wild crop's two-to-three-week harvest window, and why Europe discovered this superfood long before Canadians did.

Plus: why innovation in food always requires education, what it takes to build a Canadian food brand with global reach, and why Phil is about to start cooking wild rice on camera.

check out Floating Leaf here: https://eatwildrice.ca/

What do you do when the soda you started making to complement your craft brewery ends up outgrowing the brewery itself? That's exactly what happened to Diana, co-founder of Callister Soda.

In this episode, Diana walks us through her unlikely journey — from office worker dreaming of a sustainable farm, to opening Callister Brewing in Vancouver in 2015, to hand-capping bottles and hand-seaming cans as her natural soda line quietly took on a life of its own. She shares the hard lessons of navigating supply chain chaos, a craft beer market in decline, and a rent increase that tripled over a decade — and how a perfectly timed facility opportunity in Port Coquitlam gave Callister Soda the home it needed to grow. If you're a food or beverage founder wondering whether to follow the momentum or stay the course, Diana's story is one you'll want to hear.

Check out Callister here: https://callistersoda.com/

From Istanbul to Grocery Aisles: Arda and the Hummzies Story

In this episode, Kenny and Phil sit down with Arda, the founder of Hummzies — a hummus-based, chickpea snack that's quickly gaining traction across Canadian retail shelves. Arda shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Istanbul, where a bombing near his high school prompted his family to send him to Canada at just 16 years old, to studying political science at the University of Toronto, and eventually finding his passion in the food industry.

He talks about how his mentor Eyub at Red Crown Pomegranate Juice gave him the foundation to learn the business, how honest advice from distributor Ratan at Jiva led him to his current partnership with Star Marketing, and why doing your own demos and treating your distributor like a true partner — not just a service provider — is the key to building a brand the right way. Whether you're a new CPG founder trying to figure out distribution or just love a great immigrant entrepreneur story, this one's packed with real talk and practical lessons.

check out Hummzies at https://www.hummzies.com/

Thank you to LGDF Wholesale for sponsoring this episode: https://www.lgdfwholesale.com/

Natasha Chawla spent 25+ years in the corporate world working on brands like Coca-Cola and Unilever before launching Greens&Beans — a line of vegetable-packed, allergen-free pasta sauces born from her own kitchen.

What started as a mom's mission to feed her allergy-prone, hockey-playing son healthy meals turned into a full-fledged CPG brand now landing on shelves across British Columbia and beyond.

In this episode, Natasha shares the real journey: the R&D nightmare of scaling from 10 litres to 300 (when her sauce turned into dessert), the pivot from glass bottles to shelf-stable pouches for e-commerce, and the hard lesson that getting into a store is only half the battle — you still have to sell it.

Kenny and Phil also dig into the practical side of growing a food brand the right way: why training your distributor matters, how to pace your retail pipeline so you don't outgrow your co-packer, and the power of collaboration with complementary brands.

Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, this conversation is packed with real talk about what it actually takes to get a sauce from your kitchen to the shelf.

🔗 Check out Greens & Beans: https://greensandbeans.ca/ 📍

Thank you to LGDF wholesale for sponsoring this episode: https://www.lgdfwholesale.com/

When Vikki decided to rescue horses with no teeth, she didn't realize it would lead to opening a thriving feed and farm supply business.

In this episode, Vikki and her husband Rob share how Topline Feed and Farm Supply started as a way to "supplement the horses" and evolved into a community hub in Tavistock, Ontario. From navigating the challenges of rural retail and competing with big-box stores to giving back through hospice visits and youth programs, this Ontario Made award-nominated business proves that passion, ADHD-fueled entrepreneurship, and a lot of hard work can build something special.

Plus, we talk about the realities of running a brick-and-mortar store, the importance of doubling down on Canadian entrepreneurship, and why rescuing horses is way cooler than anyone expected.

Find Topline feed here: https://www.toplinefeeds.com/home

thank you to Haddas and Rebecca at Ontario made for connecting us with Vicki and Rob. https://supportontariomade.ca/

Thank you to LGDF Wholesale for sponsoring this episode. https://www.lgdfwholesale.com/

From Salt Spring Island to Small-Town Retail: Angela Donnelly on Running Raise the Root Organic Market

Angela Donnelly, founder of Raise the Root Organic Market in Caledon, Ontario, shares her journey from working on her parents' mobile produce truck on Salt Spring Island to opening her own natural foods store. Angela talks about learning the produce business at Vancouver's terminal markets, the transition from hippie back-to-the-landers to strategic retailer, and the harsh realities of competing against grocery giants in 2025.

Find Raise the Root here: https://www.raisetheroot.ca/

You can find Angela on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-donnelly-3a73123a/

Thank you to Haddas and Rebecca at Ontario Made for connecting us.

Thank you to LGDF Wholesale for sponsoring this episode. You can find them at https://www.lgdfwholesale.com/

Andrew Warburton from Peak Beverage Co. joins Phil and Kenny to share his journey building a premium fruit soda brand in BC's competitive beverage market. From launching with minimal research to now being in 175+ stores across Western Canada, Andrew opens up about the realities of scaling a local CPG brand.

In this conversation, you'll hear about Peak's channel strategy—why food service and wineries have been their sweet spot, how Amazon opened up eastern markets without expensive direct-to-consumer shipping, and the importance of staying connected to customers through farmer's markets and demos. Andrew discusses navigating distributor relationships, managing seasonal fluctuations in the food and beverage industry, and why understanding your consumer and picking your spots matters more than being everywhere.

Whether you're launching a beverage brand or scaling a local food product, Andrew's honest, practical approach to building Peak Beverage Co. offers valuable lessons on entrepreneurship, distribution strategy, and staying true to your brand.

Thank you to LGDF Wholesale for sponsoring this episode. You can find them at: www.lgdfwholesale.com

You can find Andrew at https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwarburt0n/

Check out Peak Beverage here: https://www.drinkpeak.ca/

Buy it on Amazon here:

Apple Rhubarb: https://a.co/d/eRoHXAP

Haskap Lemonade: https://a.co/d/iXhD0XY

Tell us which one is your favourite here: https://www.instagram.com/thiscommercelife/

Building Canada's Next Generation of Retail Leaders with Dr. Janice Rudkowski

Ever wonder where retail professionals actually learn their craft? Dr. Janice Rudkowski from Toronto Metropolitan University's School of Retail Management joins Phil and Kenny to discuss Canada's only undergraduate degree program dedicated exclusively to retail education. From merchandise planning and supply chain logistics to experiential learning with industry partners, Janice reveals how TMU is preparing students for careers across the entire retail ecosystem—from fashion buying at Sephora and Lululemon to emerging food retail opportunities. The conversation explores the evolution of Canadian grocery retail, the importance of regional players like Sobeys and Metro, and why hands-on industry connections are critical for developing the next generation of retail talent. If you've ever wondered how to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world retail execution, this episode is for you.

Find Dr Rudkowski here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janicerudkowski/

Thank you to Field Agent Canada for their support: https://www.fieldagentcanada.com/