“People love it. We get emails all the time,” said Han, who initiated the process of getting Seoul Food Homemade Kimchi into Sobeys stores last year.
That process involved sending proposal letters to stores and Sobeys head office. Han also reached out to Innovation P.E.I. for funding to help set up production, testing and labeling at Bio Food Tech in Charlottetown.
“When you get in, there is so much more steps to it," she said. "But, we had a lot of great people help us out."
Sobeys has been carrying Seoul Food’s kimchi since November.
Han said the Korean marinated cabbage has a fresh and clean taste with recognizable ingredients.
“That is the biggest aspect of why ours is so different from others,” she said in reference to the ingredients.
Steve Read, business development manager at Sobeys, said he met with the Hans in Charlottetown to discuss the product. He helped put them in touch Bio Food Tech to work on labeling and other aspects of preparing the product for Sobeys' aisles.
Read said it is a “matter of pride” for the store to put local products on the shelves.
“Honestly, we wouldn’t be where we’re at today without the support of our local farmers or processors,” he said. “Most of our farms can’t supply everybody, but that’s where the small, local guys come in.”
He said buying local is not only important because customers want to know where their food comes from, but it also keeps money in the Atlantic Canadian economy.
Read said Sobeys will work with local farmers on the type of products the company is looking for to help keep supplies local.
“We kind of look out for each other and support each other pretty good," he said. "So, to have something like that going on in Atlantic Canada is priceless.”
