Food Philosophy
We care passionately about food and the people who eat it. We believe that food should be enjoyable and provide the nutrition our bodies need to thrive. Food should provide health and energy and be a delight to the senses.
Food made right can make the world a better place on many levels. That’s why we’re very particular about the types of food and ingredients we buy, manufacture and sell. In making good decisions, it not only benefits you, but also the farmers, the community and the planet.
We believe in being transparent and accountable to you regarding the principles we follow when selecting ingredients and producing the foods we manufacture and distribute.
Whenever possible we use ingredients that are:
| Organic |
We support organic ingredients because they are good for you and good for the planet. |
| Non-GMO |
We strive to achieve a 100% non-GMO catalogue. We do not feel there is adequate research into the long term effects of GMOs on the environment or human health. Further, we are the first distributor in North America to have set a formal non-GMO policy available here. |
| Whole Foods |
Whole food ingredients are as close as possible to the plants they come from: nothing added and nothing taken away. This ensures they are brimming with flavour and nutrition. |
| High Quality |
We use only premium high quality ingredients to make our high quality products. |
| Fair Trade & Fair Deal |
We believe in the fair trade/fair deal movement and its positive impact on farmers around the world. It promotes fair economic return, dignity, and a safe and healthy work environment. |
| Locally Sourced |
When we buy local, we help strengthen our local economy, build our community and reduce our environmental footprint. |
| Direct from Farmers |
We believe in connecting with the farmer who grows our food. This minimizes handling and ensures the farmers who grow the products receive a better deal. |
| From Sustainable Farmers & Processors |
We purchase from suppliers and growers who support sustainable business practices. As part of our supplier selection process, we carefully investigate suppliers' growing, processing, transportation and human resource practices.
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The Ongoing Challenges
In the spirit of transparency, we admit it can be challenging to meet all of our food philosophy principles all of the time. The two we find the most challenging are:
a) using certified organic ingredients, and
b) locally sourcing ingredients.
It’s not always possible to make products using only certified organic ingredients. Some certified organic ingredients are not readily available in the quality or quantity that we need. Other times, the consumer dictates that we cannot sell a product above a certain price point. Both of these scenarios can sometimes force us to use ingredients classified as natural, rather than certified organic.
Our priority is to source all of our ingredients locally. Given the growing conditions in British Columbia, not all ingredients can be grown close by, so we next prioritize Canadian or North American ingredients. Sadly, this is not always an option either, since some items, like organic coconut, are not available in Canada or North America in sufficient quantities at a reasonable price.
Left Coast Naturals strives for continuous improvement. The more we learn, the better our decisions along the road to sustainability become. Click here to learn more about what we are doing for our planet.