In 2023, Coho Collective and our member businesses experienced a whirlwind of successes and growth. The year was defined by expansions, a significant acquisition, and exciting member business milestones. Our collective ambition to be the best destination for starting or expanding food and beverage businesses guided every step. Join us as we take a look at the moments that have made 2023 an exceptional year while also setting the stage for an exciting and promising future.
Member Milestones
The growth of our community has shown no bounds this year. We are proud of our members who have taken up retail opportunities with Coho, including Takenaka, SIRIUS, Praguery, and Glory Market; Takenaka opened their Onigiri Cafe out of our front-of-house space at Coho East Georgia, and is now open 7-days a week with lines out the door during peak hours. SIRIUS CRAVING embraced change and launched their second brand out of Coho Eatery in the summer, RAD ZA PIZZA.
Sometimes growth takes members outside of Coho’s walls, like Vansuya, who opened their first storefront in Surrey this November! Other members who have successfully expanded to open their own storefronts in Vancouver include Tall Shadow Bakery and Melt Confectionary.
Amidst new openings and expansions, our CPG members and bakers are infiltrating the shelves of well-known grocers across Canada. Charlie Girl Goods is now sold in Fresh Street Markets in the Lower Mainland, Antojos y Sabores is now sold in IGA stores across BC, Kula and Yumasoy are two vegan brands now sold in Whole Foods, and Goodly can now be found in Walmarts across BC and Alberta!
Flavours of Hope successfully guided 5 newcomer women to launch their food businesses as part of their annual Dream Cuisines program. In partnership with Coho, we provided kitchen space for Colombian Antojitos, Damaskino Pastry, Egyptian Bites, Elaichi Patisserie, and Sabor a Yucatan. We look forward to being part of these inspiring women’s entrepreneurial journey as they join Flavours of Hope’s Dream Cuisine alumni in our kitchens.
We are also proud of our Coho Members on the Sunshine Coast for being nominated for multiple categories of the annual Sunshine Coast People's Choice Awards! Recognized by the Coastal community, Mamma Musey’s Pierogi, TK’s Gourmet Turkish Cuisine, and Little Spoon Ice Cream were all nominated for multiple Food & Beverage award categories.
Coho White Rock
Also at the beginning of 2023, we opened the doors to Coho White Rock, servicing the White Rock and South Surrey communities. In front of the commissary kitchen, we introduced a new food concept, Coho Eatery, a casual restaurant where guests ordered food from multiple members, all in one transaction.
Alongside the launch of Coho Eatery, we welcomed three members, SIRIUS CRAVING, Zero Zero Pizza, and Praguery, who were eager to participate in the novel Coho Eatery concept.
At the end of summer, we handed over the keys to a new member, Glory Juice Co., who was ready to expand with a new retail brand: Glory Market. While Glory Market stands at the customer-facing side of our space, Coho White Rock commissary members are still operating in the kitchen in the back of house!
Coho Pandora
This summer, we welcomed our gluten-free members to their new home in East Vancouver. The Class 2 Kitchen is right downstairs from the Coho Collective’s new head office, and we love being so close to them!
Coho Richmond
This year, we officially broke ground at Coho Richmond, one of Canada’s largest commissary kitchens that will also feature retail space. Construction is well underway, and we are excited to join the Richmond community with the opening of this brand-new commissary space in 2024.
Take a sneak peek of the kitchen or learn more about our private prep rooms which are currently available for pre-sales. You can also add yourself to the waitlist to stay up to date with our general sales and opening timelines.
BCFB Awards
For the second year in a row, we were thrilled to sponsor the Emerging Business Award for the 2023 BC Food & Beverage Awards, awarded to Blume. We also partnered with BCFB to curate an entirely local menu for the 2023 BCFB Awards, catered by 15 Coho members. The strength of our Coho Community shined bright when Ono Vancouver organized and rallied together fellow Coho Chefs to prepare sweet and savoury flavours for the evening!
We are also extremely proud of Coho Members for making their mark in the Food & Beverage industry in BC. Kula Foods’ G.O.A.T Curry was nominated for Product of the Year Award, and Jordan Hocking of Sriracha Revolver was nominated for the Indigenous Business of the Year Award!
Purebread Acquisition
Coho Collective acquired purebread, one of Canada's fastest-growing and most respected independent bakery and cafe businesses. We are excited to see this brand grow, with two new locations in the works!
Before we swap out our calendars for the new year ahead, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our members, partners, and the wider Coho community for being an integral part of the journey so far.
Here's to the Collective, launching culinary dreams and landing bold ambitions!