Kat Gellerman has been in the food business for a long time, both in restaurants and supplies.

The business is changing constantly, and staying on top of changes is one of the strategies behind her new shop, ChefSense Supplies, in downtown Courtenay, on Vancouver Island.

One trend she notes is new products that help cut down on waste, such as a straw from Germany that is edible, produced from apple pulp and wheat.

鈥淚t tastes like fruit leather,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t lasts in your drink for about an hour and 15 minutes, till it gets to the consistency so you can eat it.鈥�

Other examples of these kinds of compostable or biodegradable products include straws made from corn or cutlery made out of sugar.

鈥淭here鈥檚 always new businesses popping up that are doing something different,鈥� she says. 鈥淧eople are always looking for different alternatives.鈥�

As evidence, she says after one month in business, not a single customer has asked for a foam product, and she has probably only given out two dozen bags because people bring their own.

鈥淚 really like that,鈥� she says. 鈥淧eople are really with it here.鈥�

These provide just a few examples of ways people are rethinking how they eat and cook, from the sources of their food to the implements they use to how they dispose of leftover waste.

鈥淭hings change in the industry. Everything is used. A lot of stuff in the kitchen is so versatile. People use it for more than just what it鈥檚 intended for,鈥� she says.

Gellerman is putting together online shopping for customers in the near future (chefsense.ca), saying most chefs like to shop that way because they are busy people. ChefSense Supplies delivers three days a week to Campbell River and three days a week in the Comox Valley area.

Her Facebook page is www.facebook.com/ChefSenseSupplies/

mike.chouinard@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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