Food just tastes better when it’s fresh – and local.
It’s a guiding belief of the family behind Comox Valley’s Tree Island Yogurt and it includes not only their Comox-sourced milk, but also their BC honey, Canadian fruit and more.
“A big part of what we wanted to do was support local farmers. More and more consumers are asking about where their food comes from, but it’s also about supporting the local economy,” says Merissa Myles, who with husband Scott DiGuistini founded the award-winning artisanal dairy.
“We really wanted to elevate food to art, but also connect people to the food they’re eating.”
The dairy offers two varieties of delicious, creamy yogurt: a traditional cream-on-top variety using non-homogenized milk and a Greek-style yogurt. Using the fresh, grass-fed milk – no powders that many other commercial brands include – increases the nutritional benefits with more Omega 3s and CLAs, but also improves the texture of the yogurt, Myles explains. “It’s better when it’s fresh, and we have some really fun flavours!”
In addition to three new fruit varieties, Tree Island also recently partnered with the local Milano Roasters for a limited-edition Milano Espresso flavour.
Sustainability also involves more than their yogurt ingredients. Tree Island recently took home the packaging innovation award at SIAL Canada international food and beverage show in Montreal for their container that uses 50 per cent less plastic!
It’s Island Good
Tree Island Yogurt is one of numerous Vancouver Island producers and growers participating in Island Good, an initiative with four Island grocers to increase consumer awareness of Island-made and Island-grown food products.
The Vancouver Island Economic Alliance pilot project, in all Island Quality Foods, Country Grocer (except for Salt Spring), Thrifty Foods and 49th Parallel grocery stores through August, aims to increase demand for products made and/or grown on the Island.
Shoppers can look for ‘Island Good’ stickers, posters and other signage highlighting these Island products in all store departments.
“We’ve been thrilled with the interest Vancouver Islanders have shown in the Island Good program since it launched and as we come into summer, those opportunities to shop local, source local and eat local will be even greater,” says VIEA President George Hanson. “Shoppers have shown us that identifying Island Good options is important to them and we know that will lead to increased production, more jobs and more production capacity.”
Look for the Island Good tags, enjoy local food and support our local economy: It’s Island Good!
