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Our vendor spotlight today is Canoe Cola – one of the few (perhaps only) craft soda breweries in the lower mainland, and the only soda vendor we have at the Coquitlam Farmers Market.

You don’t see a lot of craft soda breweries anywhere. What made you start one? 

We were traveling Europe where a lot of countries have their own national drink brands. We thought it was about time Canada got one too! We love pop but generally find it way too sweet, so we combined the two ideas. Could we make soda locally at a micro-scale?

Would people want to drink a less sweet soda? We tested our ideas and formulations at the markets this summer and the initial feedback has been encouraging. We look forward bringing out new flavours like Ginger Beer and Root beer next summer!

Favorite flavor of soda to brew / enjoy, and why? 

On a hot day we love our Canoe Fizzy Lemonade. It’s tart, refreshing and not too sweet. It’s also a great mixer, if you’re adventurous, try mixing it with Sons of Vancouver’s Chili vodka for a drink with a kick!

What makes Canoe Cola special? 

The taste! You’re not just drinking a sugar bomb when you have one of our beverages. We focused on creating drinks that tasted real and flavourful. Most people don’t know what cola is made of. Ours is a combination of citrus fruits and brown spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Many customers have told us it reminds them of the taste of cola gummy candies!

What do you enjoy the most about selling at farmers markets? 

We love meeting our customers and getting real time feedback about their preferences and where we could improve. We decided on our next two flavours; Ginger Beer and Root Beer because of repeated requests from the community!

Why is growing local important to you? 

Buying local typically means that your food/drink is fresher, and didn’t travel a long journey to get to you- so it’s better for you and the environment. It also means you’re choosing to support local jobs and keep the money in our community.

 

 

Be sure to stop by Canoe Cola at our September 1st and 8th farmers markets! Their cool, tasty and healthier sodas make for an excellent late summer treat.

 

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