Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/375772
BurnaBy Board of Tr ade 2014/2015 • MeMbership & resource Directory 13 With hundreds of businesses calling the city home, Burnaby offers nearly every product and service under the sun. But it's not just quantity that the city offers, but quality. Check out these local companies that are putting Burnaby on the map – in the province and across the globe. • Scardillo Cheese, B.C.'s largest independent cheese maker • nippi Collagen, a global leader in providing marine collagen peptides to the health and wellness market • ocean Quest dive Centre, the Lower Mainland's most active scuba diving shop • Bit Stew Systems, an innovative software company leading the world in real-time smart grid operations • Joe's Table, a non-profit cafe with a mission to provide meaningful employment opportunities to individuals with cognitive disabilities you name it, burnaby's got it chez christophe patisserie chocolaterie It was exactly that sense of commu- nity that attracted Christophe Bonzon, pastry chef and owner of Chez Chris- tophe Patisserie Chocolaterie, to Burna- by in the first place. "What we like in Burnaby – and in Burnaby Heights in particular – is the community spirit," says Bonzon, adding that the abundance of small businesses in the area reminds him of his native Switzerland. "You have relationships with your customers, and you know them by name." Chez Christophe is still a relative newcomer to the neighbourhood, having opened its doors in March 2013, but Bonzon has made a concerted effort to foster relationships with other local businesses since Day 1. The chocolaterie has participated in community events, donated to local charity auctions, and – perhaps most importantly – sourced as many of its ingredients as possible from local suppliers. "It can be more expensive sometimes, because when you work with small farms or other small businesses, it does have a small impact on the price," says Bonzon. But he chalks it up as part and parcel of being an artisan producer, and he's confident that his customers can see and taste the difference that quality local ingredients make. Bonzon promotes the local providence of his products' ingredients to his custom- ers, as he believes it helps to establish a local business as being trustworthy. "I wouldn't say it's a selling point, but it's definitely a plus. People are more conscientious about buying local," says Bonzon. "It's not really a big thing, but it's starting to be more important." The most direct benefit of sourcing locally may be the bond it creates between local businesses, which can pay off ten- fold long term. The more product a shop like Chez Christophe sells, the more ingredients it buys from local vendors – making Burnaby businesses invested in one another's success. Bonzon notes that this encourages cross promotion and can be a source of new customers. Moreover, for entrepreneurs like Bonzon, other local business owners have become the colleagues he turns to for advice. "We are still new and still learning every day," says Bonzon, "but by being connected and creating relationships with other businesses, you are able to get a bit of help and advice when you need it." PHOTOS COURTESY (2) CHEZ CHRISTOPHE PATISSERIE CHOCOLATERIE, TOURISmBURnABY.COm chez christophe relies on local ingredients and relationships. inset: chez christophe owner christophe bonzon.