A Welcome to Our Retail Partners, A Note From Melanie

I've never been much for titles. I'm happiest being involved in all parts of the busienss. On any given day you'll find me in the office reviewing the numbers, in the kitchen working with the team, or at the market meeting our customers. I started selling at the local farmers market in 2012, kids in tow, with a few flavours and no idea where it would all go. Most days I still can't believe we've been at this for fourteen years.

We've grown in stages along the way. After years of seasonal market days, a couple of iterations of a shipping container we called the Jam Can, and a small space on our current property, we opened our own brick and mortar Tasting Room in a fully renovated space at The Shops at The Jam Factory in July 2023.

Our Tasting Room is where we meet customers and share what we make, and we also stock specialty food and gift items from local and international producers and artisans we love. I know firsthand how resourceful you have to be to run an independent shop, especially in a small rural community.

We work differently from a lot of other food brands.

Our independent retail partners who specialize in gift, lifestyle, and specialty food have always been people I'm proud to share this journey with. We didn't take the traditional grocery route, and while we work with grocers and love those partnerships, even those are a little different than most. We work with family-owned regional distributors in BC, Alberta, and Ontario, and do our best to keep everyone stocked with the preserves your customers love.

This spring we ended our agency representation agreement with DYA and Spruced. They were great partners and early supporters, and we'll always be grateful for the work they did for us. As we move into this new chapter, you'll work directly with us, and we've built new tools, resources, and a dedicated team to support you.

This site is just the start. Over the coming months we'll add more articles, more content, and more ways to help your shop succeed. Our team is committed to providing great service, communicating openly about availability, and doing everything we can to keep your shelves stocked with the preserves your customers love.

To everyone who's been with us for years, and to anyone just welcoming us into your shop, thank you. We appreciate you, and we'd love to hear from you any time.

Melanie Mulherin
Founder
SaltSpring Kitchen Co.