MAY 2021 BCBUSINESS 39
I N V E N T OR Y
Get in Your Fill
Life in plastic is not so
fantastic—these B.C. refilleries
are providing low-waste
solutions for our everyday
grocery needs
by Alyssa Hirose
(
quality time
)
WAX ON
Q
Low-waste living is better for the planet, but it's also expensive. In an effort to make
sustainability more accessible, Adriana Tulissi, Seth Erais and Heather-Lynn Erais
opened Ash Refillery last summer with a three-tiered price structure, offering cheaper
basic items as well as higher-end ones. More than 90 percent of the Victoria-based store's
goods are made in Canada, and 95 percent are from women-owned companies. Ash also
has a unique candle refill program–give them a used glass candle, and they'll pour in new
soy wax and essential oils, and insert a new wood wick. In-store and online
BCBUSINESS.CA
COMPOST QUEEN
Q
Many years travelling the world and
working in the corporate sustainability
sector left Allisha Heidt longing
for a more meaningful career, so she
founded Chickpeace in June 2020.
Besides bulk items, the Kelowna-
based refillery has a compost program
(where customers can drop off organic
waste) and a community kitchen
that supports small food producers.
In-store and online
$
PRESS START
This isn't a brick-and-
mortar store or an online
service–it's a refillery
on wheels. Andy Chou
founded Soapstand in
2019, and his Vancouver-
manufactured automated
refill machines are popping
up in grocery stores across
the city (including Choices
and Famous Foods). The
vending machine-esque
refillery, which takes less
than 60 seconds to use, is
stocked with biodegrad-
able dish soap and laundry
detergent. In-store
RE-CYCLE
@
Nada has been providing package-
free grocery items since it opened
in Vancouver in 2015, but founders
Brianne Miller and Alison Carr
expanded into delivery during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Their partner-
ship with Shift Delivery transports
goods like flour, pasta and granola via
carbon-neutral e-bike delivery. In-store
and online
GLASS PASS
Q
Taking the bus with a tote bag full
of jars isn't the ideal errand, so
Vancouverite Elisa Lauzier founded
WiseFill for eco-conscious folks who
don't have a lot of time (or a car). The
zero-waste delivery service, which
launched in January, offers a variety of
household cleaning and personal care
products in glass jars. After your first
order, they pick up the jars and sanitize
them for reuse. WiseFill also has
next-day delivery five days a week,
so they've got you covered for soap
emergencies. Online
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