Spring market welcomed by vendors, customers
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/05/2022 (1396 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Market season started with a bang in Brandon with vendors from all over the province bringing crowds to the first indoor Apple and Pine Spring Market since the pandemic started.
The Manitoba Room at the Keystone Centre filled up quickly on Saturday, with shoppers checking out crafts and wares ranging from handmade jewelry, specialty food items, clothes and even garden plants and accessories.
Some were offering unique items people were eager to try for fun. The novelty of freeze-dried candy, produce and ice cream had people flocking to Brandon-based Prairie Pantry Freeze Dried Foods. All their items, from raspberries to celery and even hard candy, were all proving to be a big hit.
The business started as a way for the family to preserve their garden produce at home, said co-owner Tanya Baker.
Last year, the family decided to try selling their products as a way for people to have shelf-stable and nutritious food.
“With all the uncertainty from the pandemic, we thought this would be a great market to get into,” she said. “It lasts for years, people can stockpile, and the freeze-drying process preserves 97 per cent of the nutritional value of the food.”
While Prairie Pantry has many produce items on offer, their freeze-dried candy and ice cream is among the most popular. Baker said they do it as a novelty to attract customers, and their popularity has seen the items show up on TikTok.
Freeze drying is different from dehydrating as it uses deep cold to dry food, and it doesn’t break down cell walls to drive out the water from the food. Baker explained it is a process where food items are placed in a machine that Baker described as looking like a washing machine. The temperature inside is dropped to drive out most of the water in the food, then slowly heats the food to evaporate the water.
This leaves the food free of almost all water and with a shelf life of several years when kept in a sealed bag, depending on the food item.
They have a fleet of five freeze dryers to keep up with demand and will be getting more, she said. They are in the process of getting a food business permit and are planning to sell their products through stores in Brandon and around Manitoba in the near future.
The market for some of the vendors is one of the best ways to find new customers and markets to branch out into.
Rikki McDougall, owner of Souvenir Handmade from Winnipeg, was selling her jewelry, home accessories and hair accessories made from repurposed metals like brass, silver and gold.
While McDougall grew up in Winnipeg, it was an easy choice for her to come to this market as she has family in Virden.
A metalsmith by trade, McDougall said there is a burgeoning market for items made from recycled material, and the market is a great way for her to branch out and find new customers.
“I heard from a few friends in the Winnipeg maker community that it was a great market and it looked really fun,” she said. “I meet new people at markets like this and it’s really nice to meet new people who haven’t heard of me before. This is my full-time job, so it’s good to get my name out there.”
The excitement over the first indoor spring market for Apple and Pine was shared by the owners. Michelle Lewis said the aim for Apple and Pine has always been about bringing local vendors together from all over the province and Brandon to provide a fun and accessible shopping experience for everybody.
She explained they had a market last spring, but it was outdoors due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The market was packed almost as soon as they opened the doors, she said, which was very good to see.
“It takes a lot of work to put this on, and my partner Cassandra Lesiuk and I do a lot of social media and network at trade shows to put this on,” she said. “There’s definitely repeat vendors that come back, and Brandon is a community that comes out to support these local businesses.”
The next market is a Christmas market planned for December, Lewis said.
» kmckinley@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @karenleighmcki1