- 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 and鈥攎ost importantly鈥攈ealthy and nutritious.
鈥淥ur motto,鈥� she says, 鈥渋s 鈥楪ood food. Real fast.鈥欌��
Obviously, the formula works, and Epicure鈥檚 business has doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In describing a few of the company鈥檚 hundreds of seasonings, sauces, meal kits and cookware鈥攁s listed in its catalogue and website, alongside recipes and appealing photos鈥擜melia says Epicure鈥檚 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.
Amelia鈥檚 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.
鈥淚 love Epicure dishes because they鈥檙e healthy, tasty and easy to make,鈥� she says.
A team of 10鈥攊ncluding chefs, nutritionists, dietitians and food scientists鈥攊s devoted to creating about 60 new products each year.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e well-qualified, but most importantly they鈥檙e free thinkers, who love going outside the box,鈥� explained team leader Crystal McGregor,Epicure鈥檚 VP of products.
Ingredients are sourced from around the world鈥攕ome seasoning mixes contain 17 herbs and spices鈥攁nd 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.
鈥淢ost 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.鈥�
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 farmers鈥� markets; she was so successful, she decided to expand and, in 1997, selected direct sales as her sales method. This means her products are sold鈥攍ike Tupperware or Avon鈥攖hrough 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, 鈥淢y 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.鈥�
Today, none of Epicure鈥檚 products are found in stores, even though, thanks to their ease of preparation and innovative tastes, they would sell well. Epicure鈥檚 鈥渃onsultants鈥� hold cooking classes online or in people鈥檚 homes that are effective, popular and successful.
Crystal is enthusiastic about the direct-sales marketing method.
鈥淲e want to inspire good and help people,鈥� she says. 鈥淥ur 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. It鈥檚 wonderful to know Epicure is also building leaders and giving consumers an opportunity to buy locally, supporting local business!鈥�
Epicure is located in North Saanich. Amelia grew up in Victoria and believes 鈥渢his is one of best places in the world to live.鈥�
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.
Amelia鈥檚 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.
鈥淢y favourite program,鈥� she says, 鈥渋s 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.鈥�
Leaving, I hear chickens clucking and I pass an organic vegetable garden. Turning onto West Saanich Road, I鈥檓 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.
