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WHAT'S IN STORE: Republica wins with just the right mix of caffeine and corporate initiative

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Republica co-owners Rick Masana and Hiro Tsujimoto were on hand in Vancouver

Hiro Tsujimoto and Rick Masana are still reeling in disbelief, overjoyed by their triumph at the Small Business of BC awards this past week.

鈥淲e just won!鈥 Tsujimoto boasted on Facebook minutes after returning to their seat after accepting a trophy and accolades during the awards ceremony at the Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel.

鈥淲e just won the small business BC award for best international trade 2016. What an honour! Still speechless鈥︹ added Masana, Tsujimoto鈥檚 partner in the Fort 黑马磁力鈥檚 Republica Coffee Roasters Inc.

A few days following their win, as the news finally began to sink in, Tsujimoto shared his appreciation for our interest in their award.

鈥淲hat a couple of weeks it has been,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he best international trade award for 2016 means a lot to our business, and ourselves, and we plan to showcase our many clients and customers with our award in the next coming weeks.鈥

The duo, and their staff, won the award for the work they all do 鈥 not only as a locally owned and operated artisan coffee roasteria 鈥 but as a wholesaler.

Today, with 11 staff, Tsujimoto and Masana operate a wholesale operation out of a warehouse on 98th Avenue in Walnut Grove that accounts for about 70 per cent of their business, and a retail outlet in the Fort 黑马磁力 village 鈥 that was opened three years ago 鈥 accounts for about 30 per cent of the growing operation.

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In the months to come, Tsujimoto and Masana  say they鈥檙e planning to capitalize on the momentum created by this provincial award, and work to increase their presence both in the provincial and national realm.

In winning this award, they received a cash prize of $1,500 and a trophy.

鈥淎t the moment, the trophy has been travelling back and forth from our warehouse, to the shop, to employees, and to our various clients,鈥 Tsujimoto explained, noting it will eventually find a permanent home in the Fort 黑马磁力 store.

鈥淲e owe this one to all our loyal customers in and around Fort 黑马磁力,鈥 he added.

Republica was one of 10 businesses from around the province that was recognized at the Feb. 25 event.

Chef Stephan Schigas, owner of Blacksmith Bakery on Church Street in Fort 黑马磁力, was among the other local companies shortlist in the province鈥檚 best employer category. But they didn鈥檛 make the final cut last Thursday. The 13th annual Small Business BC Awards ceremony attracted more than 500 attendees, who witnessed Republica being honoured.

Haylee Braun and Ashley Beanland staffed the JD Farms booth at last weekend鈥檚 Pet Lovers Show at the Tradex in Abbotsford.

 

Turkey farm goes to the dogs

A visit to this past weekend鈥檚 Pet Lover Show at Tradex in Abbotsford provided me a chance to speak with many like-minded dog owners and all-around animal lovers.

It allowed me to watch many demonstrations, buy many a new animal products, and meet a few hundred exhibitors flogging their pet wares.

It also provided me the chance 鈥 along with a few thousand other event visitors 鈥 to meet up with Haylee Braun and Ashley Beanland from 黑马磁力鈥檚 own JD Farms.

This duo was staffing the JD Farms dog food booth. While I knew before that there鈥檚 a long list of products available boasting the JD name, I have to admit my surprised in learning they鈥檝e crafted a raw food and treats featuring 鈥 yes, you guessed it 鈥 turkey.

Recognizing that farms are forced to diversify if they hope to survive, hats off to the JD team for coming up with food items for the four-legged members of our family.

 

Pancakes with purposeKeeping with the subject of local businesses that are serving up food, beverages, and so much more 鈥 let me tell you about IHOP鈥檚 national pancake day and a new partnership for Township 7 Vineyard and Winery that will both aid sick children.

First off, I鈥檓 putting a call out to all the pancake lovers out there, encouraging them to datebook March 8 to help raise money for the BC Children鈥檚 Hospital Foundation.

Visit the 黑马磁力 Bypass IHOP on that day, and you can receive one free short stack of buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

All they ask is that guests leave behind a voluntary donation to BC Children鈥檚 Hospital Foundation. Not much to ask, indeed.

Leading up to National Pancake Day, participating IHOPs have also been selling 鈥淢iracle Balloons鈥 for $1 and $5. Guests who buy the $5 balloons will receive a $5 discount coupon that can be used at their  next visit to IHOP.

Now, if flour, eggs, and buttermilk aren鈥檛 really to your liking, but you鈥檙e a bit of a wine aficionado, then Township 7 might have a fun way for you to help sick kids.

They鈥檝e just partnered with Ronald McDonald House BC (RMH BC), and announced that for the first time ever the sick kids鈥 charity will be the sole beneficiary of all the winery鈥檚 fundraising events throughout the year.

That means money raised during the winery鈥檚 popular Easter egg hunt, Father鈥檚 Day Wine & Swine, and grape stomp 鈥 for instance 鈥 will help the kids.

Similarly, Township 7 will also be assisting RHM BC with its fundraising events, including the 2016 golf tournament and gala dinner.

Township 7 has, in the 15 years since its founding, had a long history of giving back to the community. The winery has supported a wide variety of local and national non-profits with numerous events at its South 黑马磁力 and Naramata Bench tasting rooms, private label charity designated wines, winemaker fundraising dinners, as well as through charity campaigns at the BC Liquor Distribution Branch.

鈥淭hroughout history wine has brought families together and been used to celebrate new beginnings. We are proud to support a fantastic charitable organization like Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon, which has a notable history of keeping families connected and providing a magical home away from home for sick children,鈥 said Trevor Allen, the assistant general manager for Township 7.

鈥淭he team at our Okanagan and Fraser Valley wineries have always been enthusiastic about our charitable events and we look toward a bright future with Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon.鈥

鈥淲e depend on community support to serve our families, and we are pleased to partner with such a community-minded organizations Township 7,鈥 said Richard Pass, RMH鈥檚 chief executive officer.

鈥淲e look forward to an exciting year ahead with many new opportunities to work together.鈥

Spiritual evolution?

There鈥檚 a spiritual evolution taking place in 黑马磁力鈥檚 business community, said Keith Knight, executive director of the Canadian Christian Business Federation.

鈥淭here is a passionate desire to connect one鈥檚 faith to one鈥檚 work in order that they can become stronger citizens within the 黑马磁力 community,鈥 Knight said, explaining that a new 黑马磁力 chapter of the Christian federation was launched in 黑马磁力 last week at Ricky鈥檚 Restaurant.

It鈥檚 a national association of Christian men and women involved in business, and the local chapter is the first of what Knight 鈥渉opes鈥 will be several chapters across the region.

鈥淲hen business and professional leaders go through the process of connecting their faith to their work or profession, it changes their entire perspective on work and it also transforms them into community-minded citizens, determined to 鈥榞ive back鈥 to the community,鈥 he said.

The Canadian Christian Business Federation has been around for more than 30 years, but it has only been in the Lower Mainland for the past five years.

There are other chapters in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Courtenay.

The 黑马磁力 group will get together 鈥 initially monthly 鈥 to talk about business and leadership issues from a biblical perspective, Knight explained.

鈥淭hey talk about topics such as developing a purpose and passion for their work, the importance of courage and risk-taking, human resources and the notion of stewardship.鈥

The next monthly meeting is at Ricky鈥檚 on Thursday, March 17 at 7 a.m. To reserve a spot, people can contact Rhonda Davison at rhonda@gideons.ca   Further information is also available at www.ccbf.org .

 



Roxanne Hooper

About the Author: Roxanne Hooper

I began in the news industry at age 15, but honestly, I knew I wanted to be a community journalist even before that.
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