In today's fast-paced world, conscious consumers are increasingly seeking sustainable alternatives when it comes to our food choices. Bessie Box, an Alberta-based sustainable meat and seafood home delivery company, is a true game-changer in this regard. With our commitment to local, ethically sourced, high-quality products, Bessie Box offers an exceptional solution for those who crave both convenience and sustainability. Here are just a few unique features that make Bessie Box stand out from the crowd and explain why it should be your top choice for meat and seafood delivery.
Bessie Box sets itself apart by prioritizing ethical sourcing and sustainable practices throughout our entire supply chain. We collaborate with local Alberta producers and farmers who raise their animals humanely, ensuring the highest animal welfare standards. The seafood we offer is carefully selected from sustainable sources, protecting our oceans and marine ecosystems for generations to come. By choosing Bessie Box, you can have peace of mind, knowing that your food choices align with your values and contribute to a more sustainable future.
One of the key reasons to choose Bessie Box is our unwavering commitment to delivering premium-quality products. We meticulously curate our selection, offering a wide range of meat and seafood options, including grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, wild-caught fish, and more. Bessie Box understands the importance of flavor and nutrition, ensuring that every product you receive is of the highest quality. Our dedication to quality means that you can enjoy delicious, tender, and flavorful meals with confidence.
Bessie Box understands that convenience is crucial for modern consumers. With our user-friendly online platform, ordering your favorite meat and seafood has never been easier. Whether you're a busy professional or a parent managing a hectic schedule, Bessie Box makes it convenient to receive deliveries straight to your doorstep. Additionally, we offer flexible subscription options, allowing you to customize your order frequency and product preferences to suit your needs. The ability to manage your deliveries effortlessly ensures that you'll never run out of sustainable and high-quality food options.
Transparency is at the core of Bessie Box's values. We believe in fostering trust with our customers by providing complete visibility into our sourcing and production methods. Through our website and newsletters, we educate our customers about the journey of our products, allowing you to make informed choices about the food you consume. Furthermore, Bessie Box goes the extra mile to offer personalized service. Our team is readily available to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have, ensuring that you have a truly exceptional customer experience.
By choosing Bessie Box, you're not only benefiting yourself but also supporting local farmers and communities. Bessie Box is deeply rooted in Alberta communities, partnering with local farmers to bring you the freshest and most sustainably sourced products available. When you choose Bessie Box, you contribute to the growth and vitality of these communities, strengthening the local food ecosystem.
Bessie Box is revolutionizing the way we think about meat and seafood home delivery. With its unwavering commitment to sustainability, premium-quality products, convenience, transparency, and support for local communities, Bessie Box is an excellent choice for conscious consumers who prioritize ethical food choices. By selecting Bessie Box, you not only elevate your dining experience but also contribute to a more sustainable and socially responsible food system. Embrace the future of meat and seafood delivery with Bessie Box and savor the exceptional taste of conscientious dining.
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Bonus Tip.
Let it rest: After smoking, allow the meats to rest before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in more flavorful and tender meat.
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Canada Day is a time to celebrate our nation's rich heritage, and what better way to commemorate than with delicious food that showcases the best of local and sustainable ingredients? Bessie Box, your trusted home delivery company for sustainable meat and seafood, offers an array of options that perfectly align with your Canadian spirit. Here are 10 tantalizing Canada Day food ideas featuring Bessie Box's local and sustainable items. Let's dive into these mouthwatering suggestions that will make your Canada Day celebration unforgettable.
This Canada Day, elevate your celebration with an array of delectable dishes featuring local and sustainable meat and seafood from Bessie
]]>Just wanted to share a few reasons I love shopping local and what kind of impact I believe it has on our community. I'm a big believer in supporting small Alberta business, whether it's the local bakery, small restaurants, farmers markets showcasing amazing fresh products, or online shopping stores like Bessie Box.
Growing up on a farm in Saskatchewan really set the stage for me on what supporting community means. It meant that you got your farm eggs from one neighbor, an ice cream pail of fresh raw honey, or a cow or pig to butcher from another and so on! It was a rare treat for us to go to the city and we never grocery shopped there. We relied on the local butcher, grocery stores or neighbors for everything.
Supporting local means that you care about the people and the community that you live in. By buying local you are putting money back into the community that you live in and letting an amazing person(s) flourish doing something that is their passion! Local businesses put their heart into their products and showcase such unique and quality products and it shows.
What other ways can you support local?
We'd love to hear your ideas on what you would like to see more of from us! Send us an email get@bessiebox.com and let us know how we are doing and if there is something more you would like to see! Leave us a google review!
We hope that you see the passion our team at Bessie Box shows for finding quality products for you to try at home. We hope by us showcasing these products and sending you samples from some of our favorite places, you too can support these fabulous Alberta businesses.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for letting us serve you!
Anita
]]>Bessie started with Spencer, Shanika, and Alex inviting friends over to a one bedroom apartment to cook meals together, elbow to elbow. One chat about "where food comes from" turned into another and...
We decided to put down our roots as a farm-to-table grocery service for Albertans by Albertans. Our promise was to be as personable as possible with every customer. Just like ordering food from over the butcher counter. Smiles and love shared from beautiful fields to crowded tables.
The Bessie family has grown our chef skills—plus added new teammates Anita, Chris, and Fox! We knew we needed to tell more food stories that were happening in our own backyard.
New teammates!
We're so excited to have fresh energy (and new farms!) headed into 2023. Make sure you place an order before the holiday break.
Take a peek at each of their bios below:
Anita has had the pleasure of working with Bessie Box this past year supporting the company with purchasing and planning. It has always been her passion to create unique and delicious dishes with quality ingredients for fun and festive gatherings with friends and family.
Chris, or as we affectionally call him Chef Chabot, has always had a love for cooking. Be it cooking with his mom or working his way through the ranks of restaurants.
Fox is the newest member of the team. He started cooking at age fifteen and followed his passion to graduate from Okanagan College Culinary Apprenticeship program
Expect to see more sales and special seasonal products as we work together to bring new energy and excitement back to Bessie. =]
We're new here so we'd love to chat with all of you.
Reach out to us to say hi! By text or by email here: get@bessiebox.com
As you may have noticed, we've been a bit silent since late last year. During this time, we had to take a step back and understand what was working and what wasn't. We had delivered thousands and thousands of orders to some of Alberta's best customers! Supporting local farmers and producers plus paying our Bessie staff with attractive wages. Living our values every day. But—our small team was burnt out.
One of our oldest promises was to always be transparent; whether that's with our pricing, our operations, or simply how our team is doing. We made some needed changes so Bessie can continue to keep bringing healthy food to your door! We have so much to share about what we are working on.
]]>As you may have noticed, we've been a bit silent since late last year—we stopped marketing even though we still have been delivering orders. During this time, we took a step back to understand what was working and what wasn't. We delivered thousands and thousands of orders to Albertans all over! Supporting local farmers and producers all while championing our Bessie employees with fair wages. Living our values every single day.
But...our small team was burnt out.
One of our oldest promises was to always be transparent; whether that's with our pricing, our operations, or simply how our team is doing. We made some needed changes so Bessie can continue to bring healthy food to your door! We have so much to share. Read below for it all!
To celebrate breaking the silence, we have an exciting new limited time products!
Premium savoury quiche ready for you to pop in the oven and enjoy! These fully cooked, tasty quiches are made with love from beautiful Burnaby, BC. For a limited time Bessie Box will be carrying their Roasted Red Pepper Spinach & Goat’s Cheese, Caramelized Onion & Gruyere, and Asparagus & Asiago quiches. Can't wait to try them out? Click here to order!
For a limited time we're offering discounts off Full Atlantic Salmon fillets and Chicken Drumsticks!
Bessie is working much more closely with our wholesale partner "North Sea"—this means that we are now sharing a warehouse and refrigerated trucks for all deliveries. If you have requests, comments, or feedback please let us know so we can maintain a quality experience through the change.
The new delivery times are below:
Calgary:
Cochrane & Chestermere:
Okotoks:
Airdrie:
Bessie ended 2021 with some of our busiest days ever! See the pic below—we had hundreds of orders for the holidays via our corporate giving/group ordering plus our "normal" deliveries.
But the end of year also came with some difficult realities. The increase of food costs from "inflation" have hit Bessie very hard—we have always been slow to pass price increases to our customers because we didn't feel like we earned it.
For many small businesses like us, this means narrow/zero profit margins and hard decisions on how to stay afloat. Our owners (Shanika, Alex, and Spencer) always ate last—and after 3 years we were running on empty. Because of this we had to make many changes to the Bessie team. This included moving to part-time ourselves. True to our values, we helped all of our departing staff land on their feet with new jobs at great organizations—one even started their own ramen business...
We've limited our service area to Calgary and surrounding areas. We also closed our Edmonton warehouse. These difficult changes kept Bessie alive and able to continue supporting our customers and local producer partners.
Bessie is ready to grow again! We're going to be ramping up our partnership with our wholesale partner North Sea to keep the prices you pay from increasing. We trust the North Sea team so much—shout out Brendan and Anita—and see them as part of our Bessie family.
Expect to see more sales and special seasonal products as we work together to bring new energy and excitement back to Bessie. =]
We're here for you!
Please reach out to Spencer with any questions you may have: spencer@bessiebox.com
Founded in 2009, James bought a single scoop shop with only $1800 to his name. Fast forward more than 10 years and a name change, Righteous Gelato has turned into a beloved gelato brand in North America.
Gelato, plant-based, and sorbetto—Righteous has something for everyone!
Righteous gelato is made of milk and cream without all the air whipped in, gelato has a richer character than your typical ice cream and with less fat and sugar.
Just as decadent and delicious as their regular gelato, their plant based flavours delight those who are dairy intolerant & dairy lovers alike.
Righteous' refreshing flavour forward sorbettos are dairy free, vegan friendly and filled with fresh fruit goodness.
All the pints have the best quality ingredients they can get their hands on. Righteous never uses artificial flavours or aside from the natural sugars found in fruit, their gelato and sorbetto is only sweetened with pure cane sugar.
Whether you're getting a head start on your holiday shopping or shopping last minute, we love gifting local. Here's what we have on our wish list from our favourite Calgary and Edmonton local businesses!
]]>Is it vain for us to start with ourselves?
Show them how well you know them by sending them a box of their favourite meat and/or seafood that they love cooking with! All of Bessie's meat is naturally raised without the use of added hormones or antibiotics. The best part? You don't need to fight through the mall, we'll send it right to their door for you!
Not too sure exactly what they'll like? Send them the Test Kitchen for a little taste of everything.
The sharpest tool in the kitchen.
One of the best gifts you can give a home chef is a perfectly sharp knife. Trust us, it makes all the difference when cooking!
Knifeware was born in Calgary in March 2008 and has since expanded to Edmonton, Vancouver, and Ottawa. Their selection of Japanese steel knifes and chef's tools are sure to impress any foodie who loves to cook. No matter what location you're visiting, their staff is armed with everything you need to know about knives.
Shop gifts that are a cut above the rest here!
Mangalitsa is a must try for any foodie!
Treat them to delicious Mangalitsa bacon or a farm experience. If your foodie hasn't tried Mangalitsa yet, it will forever change how they see pork. This pork is beautifully marbled with creamy fat that melts in your mouth. It's deep red colour and marbling has some people mistaking it for beef.
Eh Farms was the first in Canada to import Red Mangalitsa pigs and the only place you'll get Mangalitsa from in Alberta. Christina and her family are dedicated to providing a great life for all the animals on their farm, from the unique Red Mangalitsas to the hens that her son Easton cares for. Easton himself is a huge foodie and a great chef!
Get the foodie experience of a lifetime here!
Are the mountains always calling their name? Here are some of our favourite gifts to keep them going!
Satisfying nourishment to fuel every adventure.
Every backpacking adventurer needs a good meal to keep them going. Keep your adventurer fueled with these delicious, nutritious vegan dehydrated meals in 100% compostable bags.
Off The Path Provisions was started by Melanie in 2017 when she realized that camping meals were not nutritious, flavour diverse, or eco friendly. Her dehydrated meals are delicious, healthy, and sustainable. Great for any adventure or even a meal at work!
Reach new heights with a gift they can really experience.
Since climbing and bouldering made it's debut in the Olympics, this sport has been gaining the attention of many adventure seekers. A day at CCC is sure to excite any adventurer, whether they already climb or if it will be their first time. Their gift cards can be used at any location on climbing, new gear, or lessons to improve their climbing experience!
The Calgary Climbing Centre, often known as CCC, has been Calgary's go-to climbing centre for more than 20 years. They started with a small gym near Chinook and now have 4 locations throughout the city. Rumor has it they're working on a 5th gym right now!
Give the gift of climbing here!
Calling all powder lovers!
This ski & snowboard season is predicted to be one of the best we've had in years, sure to make any skier or snowboarder excited. Book a stay overnight for a mini vacation in the mountains. If you want to kick it up a notch, Sunshine also has ski in/ski out rooms so they can get maximum time on their skis or board. Then kick off those boots and soak in the hot tub! Want to do a smaller gift? Get them a Sunshine Supercard (on sale until December 25th!!) or a Sunshine gift card.
Sunshine has been serving up beautiful mountain terrain for over 80 years. One of Alberta's favourite mountains... but we won't get into the Lake Lousie vs Sunshine debate this time. Sunshine has trails for everyone, from newbie adventurers to ones who are ready to dive right into the backcountry bowls.
We all know someone who has been working hard all year long (looking at the Bessie founders). Show them your appreciation by giving them some much needed relaxation.
Natural, toxin-free products to relax the mind and soul.
The Olfactory shop has so much to choose from. From essential oils to beard oils and bath teas, you'll easily find the perfect gift for relaxation here.
The Olfactory Shop began here in Alberta with Micki. She provides natural fragrances and toxin-free products for the wild at heart. We love supporting locally-owned and female-founded businesses! 3% of The Olfactory Shop's profits goes towards building a landmine-free Cambodia.
Luxurious candles that the environmentally conscious will love.
Comuoco's beautiful coconut soy wax candles are calling to be lit beside a bubble bath. The perfect way to relax after a long day and let all your worries melt away. Once the candle is all used up, clean out the beautiful vintage vessel and reuse! Ps. they're also vegan, including the wick.
Mackenzie started Comuoco at the beginning of 2021. She hunts for beautiful vintage glassware and ceramics to upcycle into non toxic, balanced fragrances. Not only are Comuoco's candles made from upcycled vessels, her packing peanuts are also completely biodegradable with zero toxicity.
Give an ecofriendly gift here!
Upgrade the breakfast in bed to brunch at OEB!
Give the gift of brunch and mimosas, not to mention OEB's duck fat fried potatoes that are to die for - Seriously, if you haven't had their potatoes, you're missing out. Let them take a break from cooking and have a delicious breakfast made for them.
OEB opened in Calgary and has since expanded across Canada. The wait to be seated at their 3 locations in Calgary and 2 in Edmonton may be long, but totally worth it (the key is to get your name on the waitlist before you head in using the Yelp app). Their menu is filled with farm-to-table goodness that will have you day dreaming about it.
A Bessie favourite has always been our sashimi-grade fish. It makes for easy meals with little to no cook time. Just defrost, slice, and enjoy!
Enjoy your ahi tuna, Atlantic salmon, and sockeye salmon as refreshing sashimi, a mouthwatering poke bowl, or delicious sushi.
The sashimi platter comes with all of our favourite sashimi-grade fish. Inside you will find 2 Atlantic salmon portions, 2 sockeye salmon portions, and 2 ahi tuna steaks. Each portion is 6oz and comes flash-frozen and vacuum-sealed.
Our Atlantic salmon is sustainable farmed in BC and ASC certified. This versatile fish can be enjoyed however you please; raw, baked or fried. Atlantic salmon has a milk flavour and is lighter in colour than sockeye salmon.
Sockeye salmon had a great punch of flavour. This ocean-wise fish is wild-caught in Alaska and Ocean Wise. It has a more noticeable flavour with small flakes. It's best enjoyed raw but can also be baked or fried if you prefer a stronger flavour profile. Just be careful not to overcook it as it dries out easier than Atlantic salmon.
Ahi tuna is one of our absolute favourites! Ahi tuna is also known as yellowfin tuna and best enjoyed raw or with a quick sear. This beautiful red fish is wild-caught in Mexico and also Ocean Wise.
Sashimi-grade fish is high quality fish that has been flash-frozen to kill any parasites and bacteria. This process makes it safe for us to prepare and enjoy raw sashimi at home. Just remember to handle it as you would with other raw fish. Always wash your hands before and after handling and make sure your surfaces and preparation tools are clean. Eat your sashimi-grade fish with in 3 days of defrosting, best defrosted out of it's vacuum seal packaging.
Bessie's founder, Spencer, loves experimenting with food! Recently he's been playing with sashimi, poke bowls, and candied seafood rubs. Spencer created a great video on how to prepare a sashimi plate. Watch it on our Instagram or TikTok.
Defrost your fish out of the original packaging, this gets rid of any metallic flavour from the gases used in the flash-freezing process. The best way to defrost it is in the fridge with tupperware lined with paper towel underneath. Rinse and pat dry your fish. If you're enjoying salmon, remove the skin then slice diagonally against the grain. Preparing ahi tuna sashimi is even easier with no skin to remove. Simply defrost, rinse, pat dry, and slice against the grain. Plate with your favourite dipping sauces and sides. Enjoy!
We LOVE quick and easy recipes and this chicken yakitori recipe is just that.
This yakitori can be cooked using your oven broiler or on the grill. Perfect for any weather!
This recipe also features Hung's Noodles, a local family owned businesses that crafts the best authentic Asian noodles. If you love going out to Chinese restaurants in Calgary, you've likely experienced Hung's Noodles. Hung's Noodles started over 30 years ago with Ricky Chung, his father Tin, and Uncle Norman. Their noodles are all made fresh daily in small batches with the highest quality ingredients. We wanted a recipe that properly features their delicious noodles, so who better to ask than the family themselves!
]]>We LOVE quick and easy recipes and this chicken yakitori recipe is just that.
This yakitori can be cooked using your oven broiler or on the grill. Perfect for any weather!
This recipe also features Hung's Noodles, a local family owned businesses that crafts the best authentic Asian noodles. If you love going out to Chinese restaurants in Calgary, you've likely experienced Hung's Noodles. Hung's Noodles started over 30 years ago with Ricky Chung, his father Tin, and Uncle Norman. Their noodles are all made fresh daily in small batches with the highest quality ingredients. We wanted a recipe that properly features their delicious noodles, so who better to ask than the family themselves!
Yakitori
Tossed Noodles
Sauce-tossed Noodles
Yakitori
Enter her giveaway through her Instagram 👉here👈
Think of all the mouthwatering grass-fed and grass-finished beef, free run chicken, or sashimi grade fish you could enjoy!
Don't forget to like the post, tag a friend, and follow both @getbessiebox and @_dareats to be eligible to win!
You can get additional entries by sharing the post to your story and tagging both of us and by joining our newsletter using the form below!
Daria is an Instagram foodie, full time nurse, cat mama, and Bessie Box fan.
Daria definitely find some of the best eats in Calgary and anywhere else she travels too, and we love following along! But finding good eats isn't her only talent, she's also a great cook and baker. In fact, Daria created a few recipes for Bessie Box too! Have your tried her smash burgers? We've definitely noticed that this is one of her favourites to cook up!
You can find Daria sharing her favourite food and recipes on her Instagram: @_dareats. Make sure you follow along for drool worthy food 🤤.
Daria also uses her platform to share her experience work as a nurse in the ICU during Covid. She works hard to care for this community, making sure that we are all happy, healthy, and well fed!
]]>With the Covid-19 pandemic, the Calgary Stampede 2020 was a bust and Stampede 2021 is looking very different. While many Calgarians have opted out of going to the Stampede grounds to stay healthy and avoid the crowds, this doesn't mean we have to miss out on one of our favourite traditions - Stampede Breakfasts. The smell of pancakes and sausages taking over the city *insert drool emoji here*.
This year, let's stay healthy and happy, avoiding the crowed and still enjoying Stampede Breakfast from the comfort of your own home (and pajamas)! Inside your B.Y.O.E. Stampede Breakfast box is bacon, sausages, Buttermilk Fine Waffles classic mix, Cosman & Webb's pure organic maple syrup, and Devil Head Coffee's Alberta Jam coffee. All you need to do is Bring Your Own Eggs!
]]>With the Covid-19 pandemic, the Calgary Stampede 2020 was a bust and Stampede 2021 is looking very different. While many Calgarians have opted out of going to the Stampede grounds to stay healthy and avoid the crowds, this doesn't mean we have to miss out on one of our favourite traditions - Stampede Breakfasts. The smell of pancakes and sausages taking over the city *insert drool emoji here*.
This year, let's stay healthy and happy, avoiding the crowds and still enjoying Stampede Breakfast from the comfort of your own home (and pajamas)! Inside your B.Y.O.E. Stampede Breakfast box is bacon, sausages, Buttermilk Fine Waffles classic mix, Cosman & Webb's pure organic maple syrup, and Devil Head Coffee's Alberta Jam coffee. All you need to do is Bring Your Own Eggs!
We only have a small number of boxes available, so order your B.Y.O.E. Stampede Breakfast now!
Our bacon and sausages come to us from Irving's Farm Fresh, a family-owned and operated pig farm in Round Hill, Alberta. Alan and Nicola moved their family from the UK to Canada in 2005. Once they moved to Alberta, they noticed that their favourite British pork products weren't available here. So in 2007, they began breeding their own Berkshire pigs! Because if you can't find your favourite food... just make it from scratch yourself right?! Their small herd of Berkshire pigs are raised naturally, without the use of antibiotics or added hormones. They live freely with full access to their outdoor environment and indoor shelters to protect them from natural elements. Their pigs feed on forages, locally grown grain, and a premix of canola/soya, and vitamin/mineral supplement - never fed any animal by-products. Irving's Farm strives to create a stress free environment for their beloved pigs. This includes humane treatment with the freedom to roam their outdoor environment, to be normal pigs and root in the dirt, as well as the enjoyment of human contact. This means that these pigs live a stress free life, resulting in the best meat quality.
If you're a brunch lover in Calgary, you may have heard of Buttermilk Fine Waffles when they served their fluffy, mouthwatering waffles on 17th Ave. They opened in 2015, serving up their family recipe of light and fluffy buttermilk waffles. It ranged from savory eggs benedict waffles to sweet waffles that allowed dessert for breakfast. While their restaurant is no longer open, they have perfected their family recipe so you can enjoy their delicious buttermilk waffles at home. This famous mix can now be found throughout Canada. Once you try these incredibly delicious, light and fluffy pancakes (or waffles) you'll be hooked!
To bring you authentic Canadian maple syrup, we had to look outside Alberta. Which brings us to Cosman & Webb, a family-owned farm in southern Quebec filled with beautiful maple trees. The Cosman family has been tapping maple trees since 1986. Their farm is certified organic and committed to bringing you the purest maple syrup while keeping their production environmentally friendly and caring for the health of their forest. Their syrup is 100% pure maple syrup, organic, unblended and all from the same forest. This amber maple syrup has a smooth, buttery and velvety texture with flavours of caramel and vanilla. You'll also pick up notes of floral, honey and warm spice. Cosman & Webb's delectable maple syrup is all produced and packaged at their family farm in a beautiful Italian glass bottle with a resealable wooden cap. It tastes amazing and looks beautiful!
Bessie's team is filled with climbers, so partnering with a local coffee roaster that also loves climbing and the outdoors was a no-brainer! Many of their inhouse blends are named after famous Alberta Rocky Mountain climbs. Devil's Head Coffee started with Chris and Tanis roasting their own coffee on a small popcorn popper - talk about resourceful! They quickly upgraded from the popcorn popper to a proper 1kg roaster in their basement... Like the Walter White of coffee. With the growing love from their family and neighbors, Devil's Head Coffee and has since graduated from their basement to their own Roasterie with a 5kg roaster! Devil's Head Coffee is committed to starting your mornings off with uncomplicated coffee with fresh identifiable flavours, so you can go about your Alberta adventures and elevate your day.
Bessie has a team full of climbers, boulderers and adventurers. Fun fact, our marketing lead, Tina, was found and recruited at a bouldering wall! We're so excited to be partnering with Thrive Provisions to help them create a community that loves healthy eating and an active lifestyle. The best Alberta beef to support Albertan adventures in the Rockies!
]]>Thrive Provisions comes from the same farm as Brant Lake Wagyu. They're known for their best-in-class practices that results in premium Wagyu beef with mouthwatering taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Their farm is certified under the Verified Beef Productions Plus (VBP+) Program, recognizing decades of expert techniques, sustainable farming, and honest practices. Their practices extend over 4 generations, that's 80 years of expertise! To this day, they still uphold the same family values and ethical farming.
Thrive Provisions aims to shift eating habits by influencing better food choices with cutting edge recipes that inspire you to maximize living. This starts with clean, all natural ingredients and food that supports a healthy lifestyle.
Thrive Wagyu beef bars use simple ingredients so you know exactly what you're getting. These bars are packed with 43g of natural goodness to keep you thriving and ready for adventure! Thrive Wagyu beef bars are made to satisfy almost all diets with nothing artificial and all natural ingredients. Non-GMO, nut free, soy free, dairy free, gluten friendly, and grain free!
You get all the benefits of Wagyu, better protein for better energy! Easily packaged to take on the go - whether you're backpacking, hiking, climbing, or simply need a quick snack to get your through the day. With a shelf life of 8 months, they're great for stashing in your adventuring pack so you never go hungry! If you're like us, you likely have a designated snack pocket in your pack 😉.
Bessie has a team full of climbers, boulderers and adventurers. Fun fact, our marketing lead, Tina, was found and recruited at a bouldering wall! We're so excited to be partnering with Thrive Provisions to help them create a community that loves healthy eating and an active lifestyle. The best Alberta beef for Alberta's Rocky Mountain adventures!
Wagyu is highly coveted and loved by many, but often people forget about cuts other than steak, such as inside and outside round. Thrive Provisions uses the excess Wagyu that would normally be tossed away, leaving less food waste and making full use of the whole cow! Get a mouthwatering sample of Wagyu with our Wagyu Sampler and we'll also include some Thrive Provisions Wagyu beef bars for you!
Brant Lake Cattle is family–owned and operated. The original Wagyu herd was established in 1993. It started with 19 wagyu cows and full blood Wagyu bulls. Since 1993 , the herd has expanded to a Wagyu/Angus cross herd using predominately Black and Red Angus cows and Full blood Wagyu Bulls.
]]>Wagyu is a breed of cattle native to Japan. Characteristically, Wagyu beef is highly marbled. This means that the muscle is finely interspersed with monounsaturated fat. This marbling gives the beef its ultimate taste and tenderness. When cooked, the marbling is absorbed into the muscle and gives the meat its fine palatability and flavour. This breed is the foundation for the premium quality of Brant Lake Wagyu beef.
Brant Lake Cattle is family–owned and operated. The original Wagyu herd was established in 1993. It started with 19 wagyu cows and full blood Wagyu bulls. Since 1993 , the herd has expanded to a Wagyu/Angus cross herd using predominately Black and Red Angus cows and Full blood Wagyu Bulls.
They have since grown our numbers allowing us to share with other consumers this distinctive quality of beef. As passionate cattle producers, Brant Lake Cattle are committed to refining their Wagyu cross herd to result in a superior tasting, consistent and healthy beef. Along with partner producers, they raise this Wagyu/Angus cross herd and purebred Wagyu herd to bring consumers some of the best beef in the world.
Founded in 2016 by the Bharthi family in Calgary, Alberta. Cold Grind Organic is an organic spice company that brings the best spices in the world from our farms in India to your table in Canada. All Cold Grind Organic spices are grown, harvested, sun-dried and blended in India, and then cold-ground – a rare process that preserves close to 100 percent of the essential oils, resulting in our products' incredible aromatics and flavours. The company was founded on the principle that wanted to work directly with the farmers who grow the products and control every aspect of production and shipping to ensure the highest quality spices possible.
]]>Founded in 2016 by the Bharthi family in Calgary, Alberta. Cold Grind Organic is an organic spice company that brings the best spices in the world from our farms in India to your table in Canada. All Cold Grind Organic spices are grown, harvested, sun-dried and blended in India, and then cold-ground – a rare process that preserves close to 100 percent of the essential oils, resulting in our products' incredible aromatics and flavours. The company was founded on the principle that wanted to work directly with the farmers who grow the products and control every aspect of production and shipping to ensure the highest quality spices possible.
We first got to know Cold Grind Organic through watching their pitch on a well-known show, Dragons Den.
They checked all of our boxes and we immediately reached out.
At the heart of Cold Grind Organic is their education initiative. Since launching the business Kushan and Princy have had the goal make education accessible for their farmers family members by paying their school fees. To date, more than 30 kids have gone to school because of Cold Grind and Cold Grind customers.
The fine print: No purchase necessary to win. Purchase or payment of any kind will not increase your odds of winning. Nominee must live in Calgary, Edmonton or their surrounding area. Entries close at 11:00AM on May 6th, the prize pack will be delivered on May 8th. The winner will be contacted via email and/or phone call. The winner must respond by Midnight on May 6th or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is now closed and a special mom has been selected for this extra special Mother's Day gift! You can still spoil mom with local goodies though! Here are some specials that our partners have provided to help you spoil her:
Annex Ale Project was founded by Andrew Bullied and Erica O’Gorman in 2015. They brew unconventional craft beers creating a unique variety in their tap-room. In addition to craft beers they also offer craft sodas, making Annex enjoyable for the entire family. Annex Ale aims to be fearless in their experimentation with their brews and bringing new experiences to the craft beer community. Annex Ale Project strives to be the leaders in the craft brewing community by making tiny changes for the betterment of the people they serve.
Founder, Jamie Ayles, and Head of Product Development, Chris Dean, pride themselves on creating restaurant quality products. Their culinary backgrounds as executive chefs in the Bow Valley and abroad granted them the ability to create the exceptional flavours Bow Valley BBQ is internationally acclaimed for today. Bow Valley BBQ is dedicated to using REAL ingredients, keeping things simple and maintaining the highest standard of products. Mad love and respect for food and restaurant quality creation is what drives Bow Valley BBQ to stand out from the competition. The company pushes the limits while still maintaining familiarity, allowing for the expansion of recipes and elevation of food. Bow Valley BBQ is proud to encourage others to become creators in their kitchens, whether you're a microwave dinner connoisseur or master chef in training.
Cold Grind Organic is a subsidiary of Ganesha Foods founded in 2016 by the Bharthi family in Calgary, Alberta. Cold Grind Organic is an organic spice company that brings the best spices in the world from our farms in India to your table in Canada. All Cold Grind Organic spices are grown, harvested, sun-dried and blended in India, and then cold-ground – a rare process that preserves close to 100 percent of the essential oils, resulting in our products' incredible aromatics and flavours. The company was founded on the principle that wanted to work directly with the farmers who grow the products and control every aspect of production and shipping to ensure the highest quality spices possible.
In 2014, Aja Horsley was working as an urban agriculture researcher and led sustainable rooftop beekeeping projects for culinary honey.Through these projects, she learned all about beekeeping, the honey industry and why it is so important to support local farmers and entrepreneurs. Doing this opened her eyes to how resilient, hardworking, caring and adorable honey bees are, as well as all the terrible things happening in the modern honey industry. She learned that honey was being adulterated, that beekeepers were struggling to maintain work due to imported honey products and of course that bee populations drastically declining. She saw a huge gap in the market for a beautiful brand that showcased the unique qualities of REAL raw honey while also being bee-friendly and 100% in support of Canadian beekeepers – so she started Drizzle!
Bonnie Power Vandersteen needed to find a satisfying, nourishing and easy snack for outdoor adventures, rush-hour traffic commutes, bagged lunches and so on. The snack had to be tasty in any weather conditions, sustainably-sourced, light, convenient and last for up to six months. Well, she made it! And we are excited to share it with you. It’s gluten-free, paleo, keto, and vegan but more importantly, it’s delicious. Even kids love it.
Founded by Jessica Painter when she moved to Calgary and had a hard time making meaningful friendships, In Her Circle, welcomes all women who are looking to create genuine, authentic friendships through social gatherings and workshops. With In Her Circle events, women can engage in various activities ranging from yoga classes, bracelet making, and personal development workshops to help women reconnect with themselves and discover more happiness in life.
The Olfactory Shop was born out of Micki Chau's desire to support people in detoxing their life of synthetic fragrances. Everyone deserves to know exactly what goes into the products that we use; not only on our body, but in the air we breathe. That's being your own health advocate. That's why The Olfactory is relentlessly natural. The Olfactory Shop is committed to low-waste packaging and donates 3% of every purchase to landmine-removal in Cambodia.
Polar Park beers tell the story of the original Polar Park, also known as the Alberta Game Farm. The 500-hectare facility first opened in 1958 by Al Oeming, Robert's grandfather, and was home to 800 species and 3000 animals drawing thousands of visitors a day. Although animals living in captivity is not something that we support, Al was an early conservationist who shared his love for animals with millions of Canadians over the years. The memories made during the glory days of Polar Park are still talked about today.
Polar Park uses a 4-vessel 1938 Copper German Brewhaus. Having a 4-vessel system allows Polar Park to brew multiple batches in a day with relative ease. Most brewhauses today have a 2 or 3-vessel system where they combine the Mash/Lauter Tun & Brew Kettle/ Whirlpool Vessel, a 4-vessel brewhaus allows you to have one vessel for each step. Once one step is complete, Polar Park can go ahead and begin again with another batch of beer, not having to wait until an additional step is completed. Although they purchased the Copper Brewhaus primarily for its physical appearance, they believe the cast iron kettle adds a little extra flavour to Polar Park beers as well.
Blending Delia Reboh's art with her insatiable love for the outdoors, Peaks & Prairies jewellery was born. She wanted to pay homage to the place that has provided her with endless inspiration by donating 10% of the proceeds from every sale back to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Each unique piece is carefully handcrafted in solid sterling silver and 14 Karat gold.
Rviita’s humble beginnings began in the summer of 2017. Parked on the side of a dirt road in the middle of a forested area of western Alberta, founder Mitch Jacobsen had pulled over to rest. He had several more hours of driving to get home from his trip to the field as a water sustainability engineer, and nightfall was quickly approaching. Already having consumed two energy drinks, Mitch was feeling the crash, the heart burn, and the exhaustion that eventually came from drinking these products. With several more hours to drive on dirt roads to get home, he wished he didn’t have to rely on these beverages to power him through the day. With natural caffeine from tea and guarana seed, energy from organic honey, and 100% of your daily vitamin B3, B12, and C – Rviita is that perfect afternoon pick me up. Revitalize means to imbue with new life and vitality, and that is exactly what Rviita will do to your day.
Thrive Provisions are unlike any other not only because of the clean label, superior taste and textures, or best-in-class practices, but they are also natural leaders with four generations of expertise and a rock solid reputation for excellence. Their Heritage Farm was established in 1940 and they strongly uphold the same family values, safety standards, and best-in-class practices that has made us a brand known for excellence and the most premium foods. Through Thrive Provisions, they continue to build upon their prestigious farming legacy that has flourished throughout the years. They enrich everyday living with artisanal, accessible food that defies the ordinary and solves the demands of the modern lifestyle.
]]>Jamie, the founder of South Island Pie Co., left his home in New Zealand for his first overseas trip and headed to Canada...where he fell in love. After he settled in Edmonton with his wife, he realized that there wasn't any meat pies that reminded him of home. So, he decided to take on the challenge himself.
After years of making down-under-style meat pies for friends and family and fine tuning his recipes, the South Island Pie Co. came to life. You can now get his little piece of New Zealand through Bessie's friends Uproot Food Collective...and Bessie Box!
Jamie, the founder of South Island Pie Co., left his home in New Zealand for his first overseas trip and headed to Canada...where he fell in love. After he settled in Edmonton with his wife, he realized that there wasn't any meat pies that reminded him of home. So, he decided to take on the challenge himself.
After years of making down-under-style meat pies for friends and family and fine tuning his recipes, the South Island Pie Co. came to life. You can now get his little piece of New Zealand through Bessie's friends Uproot Food Collective...and Bessie Box!
The Bessie Team has found a home with Uproot Food Collective and we've been working side-by-side to grow our startups for the last year. We've learned so many things from Uproot, have enjoyed the brands they produce and have found small ways to support each other. It was just a matter of time before we did something even bigger together.
Using Bessie's wild caught sockeye salmon, Jamie went back into the kitchen to come up with a limited run of specialty pies. He smoked the sockeye in-house, topped it with cream cheese, capers, dill and a touch of pepper. After our team had one bite, we knew we had to bring it Bessie customers.
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]]>"As a cook that likes the explore the flavours of the world, I am excited to bring the flavours of the world and combine them with Alberta’s finest produce. We do like to brag that the beef we have here is the best -- so why not give them the best treatment with the finest flavours our big wide world has to offer?"
- John Leung
Meet John Leung, a former MasterChef Canada contestant, professional cook, and affiliated Twitch streamer. John was on MasterChef Canada's very first season, winning a coveted white apron. Today you'll find John sharing his love of food through his live cooking streams Twitch.
John heard about Bessie through a little blue birdy. Twitter was buzzing about a local business that delivers Alberta farm to table meats; co-founded by a young, passionate, woman of colour - our very own Shanika Abeysinghe.
"As a cook that likes the explore the flavours of the world, I am excited to bring the flavours of the world and combine them with Alberta’s finest produce. We do like to brag that the beef we have here is the best -- so why not give them the best treatment with the finest flavours our big wide world has to offer?"
- John Leung
John reached out to Bessie, inquiring about our deliveries. After chatting for a bit, we invited John to teaming up to combine our love for food!
You can find John cooking up his favourites from Bessie live on Twitch. He will also be hosting a very special cook along on Saturday, March 20th, cooking up a Singapore Satay Party! Want to join in on the fun? Subscribe to your favourite Bessie Box (or build-your-own) for an exclusive invite to this cooking class. Or watch along on John's Twitch!
We're so excited to be teaming up with John Leung and to be cooking alongside one of Canada's first MasterChef contestants. So let's dive in and get to know who John Leung is!
My experience on MasterChef Canada was amazing! I was a bit of a food snob as far back as I remember (my grandma/PoPo when she was alive loved to tell people the story of me as a wee babe suckling on a piece of chicken feet... not sure why), and it was a huge relief and joy to meet so many amazing food lovers that were just like me!
One thing I did learn on my very short time on that show is how to think quickly when it comes to cooking! I used to be very rigid and by the book, and while it made some delicious food, you cannot be so rigid when you have only 60 minutes to make a dish! And also, diversifying my flavours to include other ingredients and concepts -- no one wants to eat Asian dishes every time!
Plus I have made friends like Dora, Tammara, Nikita from Season 2 even April Lee from Season 3 that while we don’t get to talk to very often, our love of food keeps our bond alive.
Well, I just so happened to have competed in a little thing that a website called Foodbeast calls Kitchen League early in my streaming career (around July of 2020), where two food and drink streamers on Twitch go head-to-head in a battle royale on who has the better dish and performance. Needless to say, my first go around I eked out a tight decision against Katie Ruvalcaba, aka MrsRuvi, who has been streaming for many years. As much as I would like to get another shot at Kitchen League, I would love to have a shot at Top Chef Canada someday. An old coworker of mine from River Cafe, Galasa Aden, is on the current season, and I can’t wait to get a chance to cook in the Top Chef kitchen.
I have many chefs I look up to, from the obvious like Iron Chef Chinese (from the Japanese series) Chen Kenichi to local Calgary chefs like Roy Oh and Duncan Ly, but the person whom I look up to the most is my grandmother. She raised me from the time I was 2 to around 6 while my folks were at work, and taught me a love of food and basic Cantonese cooking that I am still slowly rediscovering as I look back on those years.
Oh lord, that’s a tough one. What’s my favourite dish to cook? I would have to say curry. Or more specifically, Indonesian style beef rendang, a dry “curry” where the meat is literally fried in coconut oil, giving it almost a jerky-like texture with very little sauce but a LOT of flavour. While most home cooks in Malaysia and Indonesia would make it with chuck or some other leaner cut, I like it with short rib, which elevates the dish to a new level.
Plus, the rendang was my ticket onto the first season of MasterChef Canada. I made it during the non-televised audition stage, when I combined rendang with a spicy pickled cucumber (achar), a minty mango salsa on a fluffy garlic turmeric naan - needless to say I staked my claim as a contender to head to Toronto and even to win the whole thing that day. But y’all know what happened THERE...
My favourite thing about food and cooking is the creative aspect of it. I’d like to think that I think about food in different ways than most chefs, but really, I just like the experimentation - creating new flavours, tastes, and dishes for folks to enjoy. Not that I don’t mind line cooking at a restaurant, but I personally like more of the creative side of culinary (creating menus, discovering new tastes, etc.).
The internet is always chasing the next big trend, and usually it essentially boils down to a remix of an old favourite - tortilla hacks, anyone? So I say, why not be the trend-setter instead of being the trend follower?
My plans other than world domination... Having my own small food stand at a market, where I can serve up the amazing creations that I make live on Twitch three times a week with a rotating menu. In the long run, my dream would be to buy a motorcycle, build a noodle cart, and drive around Australia and New Zealand serving hand made noodles to hungry people all across this world of ours.
But step one: getting that Partnership with Twitch, which means we can potentially bring the Bessie brand to other parts of the world too.
[If you want to help John with his dream, follow him on Twitch here!]
My inspirations are drawn from all over the place, but the core of my inspirations come from the western half of the Pacific Rim; running from far northern Japan all the way down to the sunny shores of Australia. I am originally from Hong Kong, a place that has dubbed itself a “Mecca for foodies” (Mei Sik Teen Tong in Cantonese), and seriously - you can find almost every cuisine you can imagine in that city!
So it’s no wonder that I draw my inspirations not just from the province of Guangdong (the home of Cantonese cuisine), but from places like the wilds of Northwestern China, the temperate climes of Sichuan, the bustling metropolises of Seoul and Tokyo, the spiciness of Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as the cosmopolitan-ness of Singapore and Hong Kong. It’s a wide arc, but that’s how I can garner many ideas.
And hey, I’m not afraid to get inspired by places like Ethiopia, Morocco, Spain, Italy, France and the nations of South America as well - who doesn’t love a good ceviche, am I right?
You can find me cooking three to four times a week on Twitch or see the results of my streams on my Instagram. I am slowly expanding to Youtube and TikTok as well too, so watch this space!
Bessie has teamed up with Bow Valley BBQ! For a limited time, we will be delivering their award winning Blueberry Merlot Steak Sauce and Missing Link Spice Rub with your favourite Bessie meats. And the cherry on top? Bessie Culinary Club members get a FREE bottle with their February and March subscriptions!
Founded by Jamie Ayles and Chris Dean, Bow Valley BBQ brings restaurant flavors to everyday dinner tables. With backgrounds as executives chefs, they used their expertise and passion for food to create their award winning sauces and spice rub. Their sauces and spice are all made in Canmore, at the foot of Alberta's famous mountains. Bow Valley BBQ focuses on simple ingredients to create high quality flavour you'll never forget. Their vision is to inspire everyone to become creators in their own kitchens, no matter what you're cooking.
]]>Bessie has teamed up with Bow Valley BBQ! For a limited time, we will be delivering their award winning Blueberry Merlot Steak Sauce and Missing Link Spice Rub with your favourite Bessie meats. And the cherry on top? Bessie Culinary Club members get a FREE bottle with their February and March subscriptions!
Founded by Jamie Ayles and Chris Dean, Bow Valley BBQ brings restaurant flavors to everyday dinner tables. With backgrounds as executives chefs, they used their expertise and passion for food to create their award winning sauces and spice rub. Their sauces and spice are all made in Canmore, at the foot of Alberta's famous mountains. Bow Valley BBQ focuses on simple ingredients to create high quality flavour you'll never forget. Their vision is to inspire everyone to become creators in their own kitchens, no matter what you're cooking.
This zesty, sophisticated, and fresh flavoured steak sauce is the perfect partner in crime for Bessie's beef. You'll taste fresh blueberries, orange rind, and molasses, braised in merlot and apple cider vinegar with undertones of mesquite-smoked onions, ginger, garlic, and toasted coriander. Talk about flavour packed!!
This sauce is winner! With 9 awards under it's cap, it's sure to please. It isn't just for steak either, drizzle it over your veggies for an extra kick! Want it for free? Join the Bessie Culinary Club by subscribing to your favourite Bessie Box and you'll find this baby waiting for you delivered straight to your door.
Gluten free with flavour that will have your dreaming about it! Take your Bessie Box to the next level with Bow Valley BBQ's Missing Link Spice Rub. This spice rub is a blend of spices, sea salts and organic sugars. Grill it, sear it, roast it or slow cook it with your favourite Alberta beef and chicken. Sprinkle it on your roasted potatoes to bring together a bold meal. Add it to your next Bessie Box delivery to spice it up in the kitchen.
Bessie has been given the unique opportunity to deliver Mangalitsa Pork from EH Farms to you. If you've never had Mangalitsa pork before, don't let this opportunity pass you by! This is the juiciest, most flavourful pork you'll ever have. Don't worry, it's not as hard to cook as you'd think!
This partnership has been nearly a year in the making! Bessie met EH Farms in a very unique way. Both were featured in the same Calgary Herald article where Amanda Stephenson writes about the increase in consumer demand for direct-from-farm since COVID-19 began (you can read this article here). Consumers are becoming more aware of where their food comes from and want to know the story behind it. We fell in love with Christina's story and her passion for her farm. We reached out to her to see how we can work together. Graciously, she invited us to her farm visit during the summer—there is no better place to social distance. The founding team spent the morning learning more about her, her pigs, EH Farms, and her family.
We're excited to be working with EH Farms and adding her specialty Mangalitsa pork to our meat delivery. For a limited time you can have a selection of Mangalitsa pork delivered right to your doorstep!
Raising outdoor pasture pigs has always been Christina's dream, one that came to reality in 2016. Eh Farms was the first in Canada to bring in Red Mangalitsa pigs, two pigs named Zsa Zsa and Hampton from California! Mangalitsa pigs weren't introduced to North America until 2007. Christina and her family's passion and love for being Albertan farmers really shines through when you see the love that goes into raising their animals. Through sharing her story and experiences, Christina hopes to provide a glimpse at life on a farm and the vital role agriculture plays in all of our lives. We often glance over the real dedication and care that goes into raising livestock and maintaining a farm.
Follow EH Farm's story on Instagram and Facebook! You can also find out more about Christina and EH Farms on their website!
Mangalitsa pigs are a wooly Hungarian breed with a very fascinating heritage. In the 1800's Hungarian farmers crossed the Bakony and Szalonta with European wild boar, and the Sumadija breed from Serbia. It wasn't until 1927 that Mangalitsas were recognized as a breed in Europe. The Mangalitsa is one of the last hairy breeds with a wooly fleece like coat. This coat helps them withstand our harsh Albertan winters. The name Mangalitsa means "hog with a lot of lard", they are one of the fattiest pigs in the world. Her Mangalista pigs live a good life, spending their lives with free-range, foraging around the farm and filling themselves up with a natural diet. Christina raises her pigs slowly for 2 years before harvesting, as opposed to other breeds which are 6 - 9 months. This is what gives them Mangalitsa pork its mouthwatering, juicy flavour that is considered among the tastiest pork in the world. Because they are raised slowly, they produce more fat than traditional pork. This healthy fat is rich in Omega 3, Omega 6, Omega 9, Vitamin D, and antioxidants! Mangalitsa pigs are a lard pig. Their lard is lighter and melts at a lower temperature and contains more unsaturated far than other breeds. This lard is amazing for making the best, flakiest pastries! They're renowned for the most delicious charcuterie, salami, and cured hams.
One of the reasons we fell in love with EH Farms is Christina's dedication to raising all of her animals humanely. EH Farms is now home to 63 Mangalitsa pigs, some part of her breeding program, some for meat and 24 piglets (or as Christina called them, bacon bits)! Their farm is divided up into 5 section: boar housing, teenager pens, weaned piglet pens, pregnant girls' pen, and the farrowing barn. A farrowing barn is where a sow (mamma pig) gives birth. EH Farm's farrowing barn and how Christina takes care of her Mangalitsa sows is what makes them unique. Traditionally, farrowing crates are used to prevent the mom from laying on her piglets. Two weeks before mom is ready to farrow, she's brought into the farrowing barn to rest and build her nest. Armed with a futon, wine, and pizza, Christina sleeps in the barn to watch over the piglets for the first 3 days of their life. She checks that all the Mangalitsa piglets are healthy, suckling, and not getting squished when mom lays down. Squished piglets are the number one cause of death at this stage. Outside of the barn, she has set up individual pens for her Mangalitsa pigs to roam, root, forage, dig, and wallow in a mud hole.
Very simply! This premium pork can look very intimidating since it's so different from traditional pork. The bacon and jowls can be cooked the same way that you cook traditional bacon, it will change your world! The ground Mangalitsa pork is very versatile! Use it to make burgers, meatballs, dumplings, or in any other recipes that you would use traditional ground pork in! The Mangalitsa pork chops are loin cuts taken from the back of the pig, near the spine. Since Mangalitsa pork has beautiful marbling filled with delicious fat, it should be slow cooked to render it all. If you need a very simple recipe for the pork chops, check out this one here from Eh Farms!
Mangalitsa Pork is renown with chefs world wide, it was even an Iron Chef ingredient in 2012! EH Farm's Mangalitsa has been prepared by local chefs such as Darren Maclean of Shokunin and Connie DeSousa of Charcut, who cut down a 500 lb pig together. Banff Springs currently has one of Eh Farm's Mangalitsas that they've been aging for over a year!
Is your inner adventurous chef itching to come out? Have your premium Mangalitsa pack delivered to your door!
We've teamed up with Annex Ale Project to bring their unconventional craft beer straight to your doorstep.
The Bessie team was introduced to Andew and Erica through our friendship with Euan at Raft Beer Labs. Annex was one of the first to reach out to us after we got our AGLC licensing!
The effects of COVID-19 has hit many local businesses hard. For Annex Ale Project, this meant shutting down twice. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, they transformed their brewery to start producing hand sanitizer for the public. Annex Ale also donates their hand sanitizer to many local charities and organizations in Calgary. They believe in bettering their community while showing genuine care for people and the earth. Their values line up closely with Bessie, creating a symbiotic partnership between the us. Getting through the pandemic has been difficult for many local businesses, but we're seeing many come together to help each other stay afloat. We're happy to be working with Annex Ale Project, making it even easier for Calgarians to shop local by delivering local craft beer and meat right to your door!
Annex Ale Project was founded by Andew Bullied and Erica O’Gorman in 2015. They brew unconventional craft beers creating a unique variety in their tap-room. In addition to craft beers they also offer craft sodas, making Annex enjoyable for the entire family. Annex Ale aims to be fearless in their experimentation with their brews and bringing new experiences to the craft beer community. Annex Ale Project strives to be the leaders in the craft brewing community by making tiny changes for the betterment of the people they serve.
Annex Ales makes 15 hectolitres at a time with over 280 hectolitres of cellar space. 1 hectolitre is equal to 100 litres. That's a lot of beer!! They have 4 core beers (try them with your next Bessie Box 😉) and many small batch beers that are constantly changing. Annex Ales loves experimentation, so don't be surprised if you see their seasonal beers sell out quickly and new ones coming out regularly.
Your Annex Ale add-on will come with their 4 core beers, exclusive to Calgary and area deliveries only.
Juicy, with a pillowy soft mouthfeel: this is the culmination of Annex Ale's experimentation in New England IPAs. Oats provide softness on the palate while Vic Secret, Bru-1, and Cryo Mosaic Hops deliver big notes of mango, passionfruit, and pine resin.
An aroma-forward Pale Ale, hopped with Citra and Mosaic varietals. Annex Ale's take on the classic North American Pale Ale, with a hoppy bouquet and a long, harmonious finish: progressive, sessionable, and full of flavour.
This extra pale ale walks the boundary between an unmistakably aromatic IPA and a finely balanced Pale Ale. It doesn’t walk alone: peach and apricot hop essence are backed by warm caramel and biscuit malts.
Their version of the everyman beer, brewed within the confines of our own principles – thoughtfully hopped with Citra and Amarillo – and under the people’s Good Authority.
We brought on even more farmers and producers. This may seem like a small thing but, with every purchase you made, you helped local farmers make more money so they can do what they do best: raise animals in natural and humane ways.
We took on partnerships with Ceres, Mill St. Calgary Brewpub, Polar Park and Annex Ale. They helped us bring in special offerings for you to pair with your favourite Bessie Box. This included a much loved mushroom sauce and some of Alberta’s best craft beer. This year has been challenging for many local businesses. We are so happy to have the opportunity of working with some of Calgary and Edmonton’s best local businesses, doing our best to help one another through this tough year.
Our team grew! We hired drivers in March and have expanded the team a little more over the year to help us create a better service for you and our partnered farms. Before 2020, it was just our 3 founders working day and night (and they still do). We are so grateful to need more team members and are looking to bring on even more this year!
Because of you, we were able to give back in huge ways. Over the last year, we gave away hundreds of pounds to you, Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary, the Calgary Drop-In Centre and the Leftovers Foundation. Our holiday giving campaign gave 1lb of food with every Bessie Box order to help fight food insecurity. You helped us donate more than 400 lbs of food to the Calgary Drop-In Centre and more than 100 lbs to Leftovers YEG. Thank you so much for helping us give back to the community throughout the hardships of 2020. Bessie sourced and donated PPE to the Calgary Drop-In Centre and made smaller donations to local arts organizations. Bessie also joined Raft Beer Labs, Annex Ale, Wild Tea Kombucha and other small businesses in advocating for harm reduction services.
Bessie wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for you. Over the last year, we’ve chatted with you about the usual things: new products, new recipes or new farmers. But you opened up even more. You trusted us enough to share details about your jobs, families, fears, and hopes. That level of trust means the world to us.
Our team first became introduced to Polar Park through the Edmonton Startup Community. After a few conversations with Phil and taste-tests, we knew Polar Park would be the perfect Edmonton beer partner.
Polar Park beers tell the story of the original Polar Park, also known as the Alberta Game Farm. The 500-hectare facility first opened in 1958 by Al Oeming, Robert's grandfather, and was home to 800 species and 3000 animals drawing thousands of visitors a day. Although animals living in captivity is not something that we support, Al was an early conservationist who shared his love for animals with millions of Canadians over the years. The memories made during the glory days of Polar Park are still talked about today.
Canadian Pale Ale 5.1%alc/IBU 30 A balanced pale ale with Cascade, Citra and Galaxy hops with tropical notes of pineapple, stone-fruit, and citrus, with a clean hoppy finish.
Indian Pale Ale 6.3%alc/IBU 45 A battle of the biomes. Polar tundra meets tropical flavours from Cascade, Citra, Sabro and El Dorado. A light gold, hop-forward IPA with balanced malt and creative character. Where the polar bears roam.
Chocolate Oatmeal Stout 5.8%alc/30 IBU A delicious balanced stout with hints of chocolate and oats. Dark in colour with a substantial head of thick, creamy, long-lasting foam. The aroma is lightly sweet of malt with some roastiness.
Raspberry Witbier (4.5%alc/IBU 15) The Pink Panther strikes again with a crushable, witbeir. A blend of Traditional, EKG and Saaz hops is combined with raspberries, dried limes and spices.
Please note: Polar Park beers are only available for Edmonton and Area deliveries. Calgary, checkout our partnership with Annex Ales Project.
Going on year 11, Launch Party celebrates the best in tech in Calgary by creating opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect with investors, other startups and ecosystem builders. It is a must-attend event that normally sees hundreds of people brought together to celebrate. This year, we celebrated virtually with 4pi Labs, Fuse Insurance, 8-bit Cortex, Nicerr, Goodlawyer, Bode, Liveweb, Provision Analytics, Radley Robots, Rambody, Raft Beers Labs, Receipt Depot, Teser Technologies and Unico Power.
The top prizes of the evening when to Goodlawyer (Alumni's Choice Winner) and 8-bit Cortex (People's Choice Winner).
Bessie is proud to be supporting the Start Alberta Tech Awards this year. Start Alberta recognizes and celebrates the hard work put into changing Alberta’s tech and innovation ecosystem.
]]>Bessie is proud to be supporting the Start Alberta Tech Awards this year. Start Alberta recognizes and celebrates the hard work put into changing Alberta’s tech and innovation ecosystem. With 9 different awards this year, we’re excited to celebrate alongside them and congratulate the individuals who are making an impact in Alberta...and we are excited to announce that Spencer Kerber took one home! Spencer was named Most Promising Startup Entrepreneur of the Year for his work with Bessie.
Start Alberta aims to fill the gap in Alberta’s tech and innovation ecosystem by connecting entrepreneurs with investors and resources. They support and promote startups to see these startups thrive and for Alberta grow. Start Alberta is a collaboration between different partners within the innovation and tech ecosystem: Venture Capital Association of Alberta, Platform Calgary, Alberta Innovates, Alberta Enterprise Corporation, The A100, Edmonton Regional Innovation Network, Startup Edmonton and TEC Edmonton.
This year, the Start Alberta Tech Awards was held virtually. In these unprecedented times we were happy to gather together online and raise our glasses to Alberta’s thriving innovation and technology. With the impact of COVID-19, we’ve seen how start-ups have had to adapt and their resilience. It’s been an interesting time for Bessie too and we’re so grateful for the community that has helped us get where we are today. The Alberta startup ecosystem has been so supportive and we’re happy to be a part of it.
We always say it takes a village and we are excited to celebrate alongside the best startups in Alberta:
Bessie believes that everyone should have access to healthy food. More than 1 in 10 households in Alberta experience inadequate or insecure access to food due to financial constraints. This can result in an increase in chronic conditions, heart disease and diabetes among adults. By partnering with the Calgary Drop-In Centre and Leftovers Foundation, Bessie hopes to tackle this issue head-on.
Believe it or not, the Calgary Drop-In Centre is Shanika (one of Bessie’s founders) old employer! Over the last few years, the Calgary Drop-In Centre has transformed and it is leading the nation with it’s housing program. Even through COVID, the Calgary Drop-In Centre moved hundreds of vulnerable people into affordable housing. Bessie customers have already donated meat to the Calgary-Drop In Centre’s community members and we hope to continue supporting them!
It was important for Bessie to find a partner in Edmonton that would be the perfect fit. Leftovers was that perfect fit! Leftovers diverts food to organizations that support vulernable people. Currently, Leftovers re-directs 6,000 pounds of food every week and operates in Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg. Leftovers team is changing the food system by reducing food and providing a much needed service—Bessie is excited to support their cause!
Thanks for making our community stronger—together, we can do anything!
]]>We're straight bubbly over this news. Bessie and Mill Street are working together to deliver combination meat and beer packs right to your door. Fall is better with beer and beef.
]]>We're straight bubbly over this news. Bessie and Mill Street Calgary Brew Pub are working together to deliver combination meat and beer packs right to your door. Fall is better with beer and beef!
This isn't a normal thing. We don't make beer. We never will...maybe. But we are trying out pairing some tasty beer with Bessie's Alberta meat and healthy seafood.
Bessie's founder Spencer is great friends with Mill Street Calgary Brew Pub brewer Warren; they go back to school days! Both of them used to work in rural Alberta together in process engineering. Weirdly we both switched careers from working in oil to working in food! What a better way to work together again than teaming up Mill Street and Bessie.
Warren has recently finished brewing 4 beers just for Calgary—in fact the only way to get them is visit Mill Street on 17th Ave or to order them from Bessie.
Great farmers take all aspects of the system into consideration—the soil, the water sources, the plants, the animals, the farming families, the community, the local economy, and the environment. Keeping farming, food, and beer natural and healthy is in the long-term best interest of all of us.
The idea of natural is not one big idea, it is thousands of small-scale ideas involving a lot of people who have the best interest of more than themselves at heart. It is about giving more than you take.
By working with Mill Street Calgary Brew Pub, Bessie is able to complete an almost full loop. What does this mean? Farmers raise grain and grass. Bessie's cattle eat a lot of grass (100% Grass-fed, Grass-finished) and Mill Street Calgary's beer requires a lot of grain. Once the beer is brewed and the grains are "spent" they are recycled as a fertilizer/substrate for growing mushrooms! Our farmer Ceres's Béchamel sauce originates from recycled brewery grains!
Bessie proud to continue to lower the environmental impact of our business and help all of our customers make more sustainable choices.
The Saddledome has a "Test Kitchen" where they test out local breweries for their fans by pairing a dish with a beer. This beer was paired with a meal during Flames games last season. This is Warren's fav!
The Sheepdogs (the band!) came to the brewery to make a beer! The Gold Yeller is what came out of that experiment—which they then of course brought with them to their show at the Palace later that night!
The first original recipe from Mill Street Calgary Brew Pub. Award winning when Benny made it in 2017 and stays true to this day.
Yeast was on it's way (and late) from Fedex to the brew pub. Mill Street Calgary Brew Pub had already started the brewing process and was running out of time. The team left the brewery and sprinted around downtown Calgary chasing down Fedex trucks trying to find the one that had their yeast on it! Eventually they got it, and the unique flavour from the yeast timing is now represented by the colourful label (Fedex purple, green, and orange).
Please note: Mill Street Calgary Brew Pub are only available to Calgary and Area deliveries. Edmonton, we are working on something for you too!
]]>After a year of providing Calgarians with sustainable meat and seafood, we’re expanding our operations into Edmonton! It’s always been our plan to grow within the province first, and source from farmers close our distribution centres, and we’re so excited that Edmonton is our next step towards making local food more accessible across the country.
]]>After a year of providing Calgarians with sustainable meat and seafood we’re expanding our operations into Edmonton! It’s always been our plan to grow within the province first, and source from farmers close our distribution centres, and we’re so excited that Edmonton is our next step towards making local food more accessible across the country.
Edmonton has a great local food scene from the farmer’s markets around the city, top notch restaurants using local ingredients and local craft breweries, we’re looking forward to making tons of local connections within the community!
A little bit about Bessie:
Bessie partners with local and natural farmers, flattening the supply chain and allowing farmers to have easier access to their end customers. At Bessie, we like to partner with farmers who have a passion for what they do, but don’t have the time or size to do all of the legwork required to sell their products directly to customers. A lot of the time this means selling their product to large feedlots or processors, getting less money than they deserve for a natural product.
All Bessie farmers have been toured by the Bessie team and meet our standards for taste and sustainability.
To make things simple for our customers, we offer a variety of pre-built packs containing beef chicken, and/or seafood. All our products individually vacuum sealed and quickly frozen immediately to retain the quality of the product.
Our Producers:
Bessie offers grass fed and grass finished beef from Prairie Ranchers in Wetaskawin. These animals have been raised on a diet of pure grass/forage fed and raised without the use of antibiotics or hormones and never live on a feed lot.
Bessie’s Chicken in Edmonton is sourced from Lone Pine near Botha Alberta. Lone Pine chickens are free run and free range, are raised without antibiotics, hormones, or animal by products, and meet Certified Humane’s standards of animal care. Lone Pine’s chicken are also raised on a diet of homegrown grain with no animal or soy proteins.
Bessie sources our seafood from a variety of sustainable producers and fishermen, with our product adhering to Ocean Wise standards or sustainable farming practices.
Lastly, thank you the friends we've made in Edmonton!
It takes a community to build a business and we are so grateful for the support from StartupTNT, Lan Tan from TEC Edmonton, and of course, Uproot Food Collective! Uproot is an Edmonton based collection of local food companies that share the mission of making local and high quality food available to everyone. By bringing a bunch of local brands under one banner (Honest Dumplings, South Island Pie Co., Natural Kitchen Delights, Zero Waste Noodles) ****they share the costs of getting their products into grocery stores, allowing more small food businesses to thrive—thanks for sharing your space with us Uproot!
We are offering FREE delivery to Edmonton, St. Albert, Stony Plain, Beaumont, Spruce Grove, Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, Devon and Leduc/Nisku. Place your order today.
]]>Our first year was eye-opening for our young team. We made it through the joy of building something, the frustration of slow progress, and the challenge of a tragic pandemic. We ate a lot, cried a bit, and shared some food.
]]>It wasn't easy getting here, but Bessie officially turned 1 years old. We're thankful for the farms, friends, and family that stood with us. We are so thankful for the Calgary community and have a lot of life in front of us.
Our first year was eye-opening for our young team. We made it through the joy of building something, the frustration of slow progress, and the challenge of a tragic pandemic. We ate a lot, cried a bit, and shared some food.
Now, as we stomach our growing pains and step into the "terrible twos", here's some Lessons, Goals, and Fun from year one.
Thanks for everything. We cherish and love you. Here's to year two!
Alex, Shanika, and Spencer
Bessie's Chief Eating Officers
We work with more farms now. Check out the new food we have available now.
Never tried Bessie? Two words: Test Kitchen. You're going to be impressed.
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