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Epicureѻýs Amelia Warrenѻýs ѻýGood Food, Real Fastѻý

North Saanich business feeds North America with healthy nutritious fare
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- Story by Hans Tammemagi Photography by Don Denton

West Saanich Road is the quintessential thoroughfare of Vancouver Island, winding delightfully through shady stands of towering Douglas firs bordered by farms with sheep and horses, and passing the occasional roadside stand, where hand-printed signs advertise local flowers, eggs and vegetables.

At the northern end of this bucolic road, I turn onto the driveway that leads me to , the local company that creates recipes for healthy, nutritious dishes, using its own seasonings and sauces, and sells meal kits, food and cookware throughout North America.

Nestled in the backcountry of North Saanich, the Epicure property, including headquarters and warehouses, sits on a 30-acre farm.

Inside the large main building, Amelia Warren, the energetic CEO, explains that Epicure, with about 250 employees, is one of the largest private firms on Vancouver Island. Its dishes are easy to prepare and taste delicious, yet are fast, affordable andѻýmost importantlyѻýhealthy and nutritious.

ѻýOur motto,ѻý she says, ѻýis ѻýGood food. Real fast.ѻýѻý

Obviously, the formula works, and Epicureѻýs business has doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In describing a few of the companyѻýs hundreds of seasonings, sauces, meal kits and cookwareѻýas listed in its catalogue and website, alongside recipes and appealing photosѻýAmelia says Epicureѻýs products break down to about 80 per cent food products and 20 per cent cookware used for preparing the dishes.

I get hunger pangs just looking at the scrumptious photos.

Ameliaѻýs belief in her products is demonstrated as she describes the family dinners she is making this week. Each is Epicure-based and includes items like rotisserie chicken, donair and Greek salad.

ѻýI love Epicure dishes because theyѻýre healthy, tasty and easy to make,ѻý she says.

A team of 10ѻýincluding chefs, nutritionists, dietitians and food scientistsѻýis devoted to creating about 60 new products each year.

ѻýTheyѻýre well-qualified, but most importantly theyѻýre free thinkers, who love going outside the box,ѻý explained team leader Crystal McGregor,Epicureѻýs VP of products.

Ingredients are sourced from around the worldѻýsome seasoning mixes contain 17 herbs and spicesѻýand quality is crucial. Amelia is closely involved, tastes all the dishes and her approval is necessary to bring a product to market.

Crystal has several favourite creations, but the Super Hero Breakfast Cookie stands out.

ѻýMost people skimp on protein at breakfast. Hence, this recipe was created, featuring our awesome protein blend. I love that you can eat a cookie for breakfast and feel good about it.ѻý

Amelia speaks highly of her mother, Sylvie Rochette, who founded Epicure. Sylvie was well ahead of the food-curve, making nutritious easy-to-prepare dishes in the early 1990s. She created sauces and spice blends and sold them to friends and at farmersѻý markets; she was so successful, she decided to expand and, in 1997, selected direct sales as her sales method. This means her products are soldѻýlike Tupperware or Avonѻýthrough consultants, who have a stake in the success of the company. Epicure has been charging ahead ever since.

Amelia, who took over as CEO in 2010, says, ѻýMy mom is a hard worker and very courageous. It was a bold step to enter into direct sales without any previous experience in the channel. She isan extraordinaryentrepreneur.ѻý

Today, none of Epicureѻýs products are found in stores, even though, thanks to their ease of preparation and innovative tastes, they would sell well. Epicureѻýs ѻýconsultantsѻý hold cooking classes online or in peopleѻýs homes that are effective, popular and successful.

Crystal is enthusiastic about the direct-sales marketing method.

ѻýWe want to inspire good and help people,ѻý she says. ѻýOur consultants can start their own entrepreneurial business for less than $200, be their own boss, and earn as little or as much as they want. Itѻýs wonderful to know Epicure is also building leaders and giving consumers an opportunity to buy locally, supporting local business!ѻý

Epicure is located in North Saanich. Amelia grew up in Victoria and believes ѻýthis is one of best places in the world to live.ѻý

She enjoys hiking and immersing herself in the beautiful nature of Vancouver Island. She has a two-year-old daughter, and her husband, Kyle Vucko, the co-founder of Indochino, also works in the business.

Ameliaѻýs caring and compassion form a vital part of Epicure, which helps its clients live healthier lives and gives to less-advantaged people in many ways.

ѻýMy favourite program,ѻý she says, ѻýis our Buy One, Share One program. For every mac and cheese sold, we donate one meal to Feeding America or Food Banks of Canada. Last year we donated just over 750,000 meals.ѻý

Leaving, I hear chickens clucking and I pass an organic vegetable garden. Turning onto West Saanich Road, Iѻým pleased that this vigorous, innovative company, tucked away in our own backyard, is bringing health and nutrition to North America.

This story originally ran in PEARL, the magazine for Sidney and North Saanich, British Columbia.



About the Author: Black Press Media Staff

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