A healthy dose of Canadian pride seems to be the secret ingredient that’s helping Shenul Williams’s small condiment business in Pickering, Ont.
With sales dwindling and concerns about having to shut down, a post on a “Buy Canadian” Reddit thread has dramatically increased her orders, she mentioned.
“I’m really blown away with the love and support from Canadians through these uncertain times,” said an emotional Williams in an interview with . “I was worried that I was going to lose my business.”
Williams runs Aki’s Fine Foods, which creates and sells Indo-African condiments like pickles, chutneys, and barbecue marinades. She took over the family business more than 30 years ago and has grown it so that her products are now available in stores all over Canada, including major grocery chains.
Aki’s has faced challenges along the way, but COVID-19 hit especially hard when many grocery stores and restaurants carrying her items closed down.
The last few months have been particularly tough for her. However, earlier this week, her daughter Aliza Welch decided to share information about her mom’s business on a “Buy Canadian” Reddit thread.
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‘Products have a maple leaf’
“My mom owns a Canadian-made Indo-African sauce company that has been in business for 38 years. It is truly amazing and has been struggling since COVID,” Welch wrote.
“With so much interest in buying small Canadian companies, I figured I would share her products as an alternative. Your support would change her life. All products have a maple leaf!”
The response was immediate and overwhelming; she says order requests through the website surged by nearly 4,000 percent according to Williams.
“I can’t believe it,” she stated. “This impact that it has had on my business is significant and is saving my business.”
Aki’s Fine Foods manufactures and sells Indo-African condiments including pickles, chutneys and barbeque marinades. (Aliza Welch)
She also mentioned receiving messages along with the orders.
“I can remember one little note. This lady said, ‘Keep it up.’ You know, make Canadian. ‘We want Canadian.’...(..)..<..
It comes as no surprise that demand for Williams’s products reflects a larger trend among consumers who increasingly prefer homegrown options following U. S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 25 percent tariff on imports said Gary Sands from the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers.
A ‘permanent shift’
“I’ve been with this organization for 25 years as of August, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” Sands shared.
“I think this marks a permanent change.”
In Belleville, Ont., for instance, Sprague Foods-an established family-run soup company featuring its red maple leaf prominently on its cans-has experienced rising sales lately while some local farmers report similar increases in demand.
The recent survey conducted by the Canadian Federation Of Independent Business (CFIB) indicates that about 25 percent of businesses are taking steps to showcase their made-in-Canada offerings according to Michelle Auger from CFIB who noted half reported higher demand for those items.
(“It’s fantastic seeing Canadians rallying behind our local brands,” she added.)
However Auger cautioned against judging businesses unable currently able selling strictly domestic goods encouraging customers not penalize those firms.”
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