International bulk food brand opens new location in Oakville

Health-conscious and environmentally conscious shoppers in Oakville will be pleased to hear that The Source Bulk Foods has recently opened a brand new location in early December at Upper Oakville Shopping Centre (at the intersection of Eighth Line and Upper Middle Rd. E).

Whether you’re a health-conscious foodie or you’re looking to reduce the waste in your daily life, the knowledgeable staff at The Source Bulk Foods can help you transition into a zero-waste lifestyle by offering product support and tips.

They have over 400 products, sourced as locally as possible: Organic wholefoods (including gluten-free  and vegan options), cooking liquids and oils, various healthier sugar options (stevia, coconut sugar, molasses, raw-organic honey), healthy snacks, and plant-based personal and household products.

The Oakville store is also home to a kombucha kegerator (yes, that’s right, kombucha on tap!) and you can make your own fresh nut butter (without salt or preservatives) on-site which rotates between roasted peanuts, almonds, cashews and even hazelnut chocolate (yum!).

The store also aims to utilize closed-loop models with their local suppliers to align with the brand’s vision to reduce carbon footprint and promote an environmentally conscious shopping lifestyle.

A closed-loop model means that, whenever possible, the store uses containers and materials that can be returned to the supplier to be reused, rather than limited-use materials that end up in a landfill. Their fizzy and fermented kombucha, for example, is available on tap in-store and is package-free; customers can bring their own bottle and refill whenever it runs out!

The female-owned and operated store is the company’s third location in Ontario and the first outside Toronto.

A few years ago, Rovi Anne Lasquite Fan realized she wanted to make a change – she wanted to transition from her corporate career in finance to something where she could focus on sustainability and make a difference in the community.

She found exactly what she was looking for through The Source Bulk Foods. She reached out to the famous Australian brand, which has over 90 locations worldwide, in an effort to expand this exciting new shopping revolution to Halton Region, and was able to successfully open the Oakville store in late 2021.

“Here at The Source Bulk Foods, we emphasize quality whole foods, sourced as locally as possible and delivered to you in a sustainable way. We are so excited to be here,” said Rovi Anne.

The Source Bulk Foods is based in Australia, but unlike most international franchises, their system doesn’t centralize the supply of products to their retail outlets. Instead, each region (Australia, New Zealand, UK, West Canada, East Canada and more) is responsible for building their own supply chain locally.

The Oakville store upholds The Source’s guidelines based on one central value: To reduce unnecessary waste and strain on the environment, both in the food industry and consumer habits. The benefits of sourcing products locally include reducing food mileage, supporting more sustainable farming ecosystems, and allowing for closed-loop systems that cut down on waste.

The Source Bulk Foods stores here in Ontario may have the same aesthetic as the Australian locations, but they’re still 100% Canadian-owned small businesses, selling Canadian sourced-products to their local communities.

No matter what you’re looking for from their diverse array of products, the store’s friendly and knowledgeable staff will be able help customers to make a transition to a sustainable and rewarding model of food consumption – that’s also more fun and delicious.

Check their full selection of products at thesourcebulkfoods.ca and follow the store on Instagram and Facebook.

For more information on the Upper Oakville Shopping Centre, visit their website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages.