It's been 15 years since a group of local entrepreneurs purchased Red Barn Market with their hearts set on promoting local food. They've since grown the enterprise into eight locations, the newest being in North Saanich's Sandown Plaza.
As a locally owned grocery store whose mandate is to support local vendors, Red Barn Markets works with about 100 local makers and farmers, estimates co-owner Russ Benwell.
“If it's Michell's [Farm Market] or Island Farmhouse Poultry or Gobind Farms, we try to support as much local agriculture as we can. That also goes for the cottage industries. We support these local businesses and that gives them a start, keeping money in the local economy,” said Benwell.
“Island grown, Island raised, Island made,” is the company's slogan. And it's that niche where Benwell said the company sits, competing against major grocery stores that have recently received backlash for their profiteering. Benwell said he likes to think this influences more people to buy and explore local food.
“We do try to be very competitive within the grocery retail space, but the little guys, we're not making the big dollars the same that the multinationals could be. We don't have the buying power,” said Benwell. “We try to compete on a different level other than just price: trying to be better in service and in an in-stock position. We want people to have friendly experiences when they go in our stores.”
The advantage to shopping at a locally owned store is the money goes further in the community, Benwell said.
“We hire lots of local employees. And, we support the local community through donating to sports teams and fundraising.”
Red Barn also keeps things local with its smokehouse, which produces bacon, smoked cheese, lunch meats and more.
It's familiar territory to Benwell, whose grandfather owned a butcher shop in Victoria when he was little, part of where his passion for the industry came from. Benwell has been involved in the industry for as long as he can remember, starting in 1988 as a stock boy at Thrifty Foods.
“My passion has been with people and with the grocery business. It's a fun business to be in, to see local kids who are your employees work with you and learn. And in some cases, stay within the business,” Benwell said. “It's really neat to be part of the fabric of Vancouver Island being born and raised on the peninsula, to be able to give back and to be a part of leaving a little bit of a legacy in the grocery space.”
This article is from the 2024 edition of Best of the City.
