It’s official—our 2nd annual RT | Foundation Award contest has come to a close, and we’ve chosen two special winners.
As always, a huge thank-you goes out to our amazing small business community; you took the time to spread the word and tell your stories. Each year, we adore reading each and every application to discover so many one-of-a-kind businesses. This award exists because of all of you!
Without further ado, we’re so excited to introduce you to the two recipients of our 2021 RT | Foundation Award.
A huge congratulations to Northern Wildflowers Inc. and KALŪ! We can’t wait to work with you on these projects. We’d also like to recognize our amazing honourable mentions, Stormy’s, Teas for Good, Saulice, and Pugs and Pigs. You can also learn more about them below!
Northern Wildflowers Inc.
“A facelift to our packaging would be a game changer for us in terms of growing our business and helping us to pursue our vision of helping more gardeners provide habitat for pollinators. As our business grows, we will also support more farmers as we have over a dozen small Canadian farmers and wild seed collectors that also grow for us.”
Northern Wildflowers Inc. is in the process of eliminating plastic from their business operations and their packaging. The company donates a minimum of 1% of their annual sales to causes supporting urban food security, outdoor classrooms, and re-greening. In 2022, Northern Wildflowers Inc. will continue to work toward achieving their goal of becoming carbon negative. The business plans to buy carbon credits for travel and shipping, and to implement a five-year tree planting plan on their farm.
To learn more about Northern Wildflowers Inc., take a look at their social media pages below!
KALŪ
“Packaging is currently our biggest hurdle in our quest to deliver sustainable options to the masses. By introducing a bespoke sustainable bag that is strong enough to survive the shipping process, we could quickly reach new heights.”
KALŪ’s pet food is made with ingredients that are sustainably and locally sourced to reduce the amount of goods movement required. The business purchases carbon credits to offset emissions from the transport of inventory to its warehouse, and delivers with zero-emission vehicles. KALŪ is also the first pet food company in Quebec to offer zero-waste options using reusable containers.
To learn more about KALŪ, take a look at their social media pages below!
And our honourable mentions…
Stormy’s
“Earlier this year I launched a smoothie bowl food truck. I wanted to bring plant-based food to our very animal agriculture-based community, in a fun and healthy way. My hope was to inspire others to eat more plant-based meals, because the more plants we eat the better the planet.”
To learn more about Stormy’s, take a look at their social media pages below!
Teas for Good
“I decided to create a sustainable product line that would lead to social change by donating to good causes. I chose tea because next to water, tea is the globally most inclusive beverage offering; 80% of North Americans drink tea.”
To learn more about Teas for Good, check out their social media pages below!
Saulice
“Sometimes we are faced with the delicate decision of what to say or do when a loved one is going through a difficult time. We look to offer something that is useful and benevolent. The idea of little details accompanied by a sweet message is the perfect gift to give to comfort, love, encourage and support.”
To learn more about Saulice, check out their social media pages below!
Pugs and Pigs
“I’ve worked in the tea industry for almost ten years now. It’s a real obsession. The desire to travel to source, offer high-quality teas and ceramics to consumers directly from their countries of origin and spread the passion for the leaf has pushed me to start my own business.”
To learn more about Pugs and Pigs, check out their social media pages below!
About the RT | Foundation
