Want to know what we love about Surrey? She’s of the fastest growing cities in British Columbia, yet still proudly retains that nestled away, suburban feel. It’s that small town sense of community that will keep Surrey grounded… no matter how big she gets.
Recently, a number of small businesses have popped up in the Surrey area that share a unique and profound connection. Fieldstone Artisan Breads, Beast and Brine, and Good Day Sunshine Café all support, use and endorse each other’s products.
Fieldstone Artisan Breads brings ‘un petit’ piece of France to Surrey. Unlike many contemporary bakeries, everything at Fieldstone is handmade using certified organic flour, sea salt, and filtered water. Quality is of the utmost importance. They are also committed to creating as little waste as possible at the end of each day. Fieldstone patrons have a ‘a get it before it’s gone’ mentality, which comes in handy when you’re shopping at a bakery whose shelves are notoriously empty before the day is done!
Fieldstone sources its ground pork from neighbor Beast and Brine, and its fresh, seasonal fruit from nearby Hazelmere farm. The popular bakey with its Parisian atmosphere is just one of the contributers in a community of small businesses offering a change from run-of-the-mill franchise stores.
Beast and Brine has been established on Crescent Road for over a year and provides the community with quality meats, all made in-house. Much like Fieldstone, Beast and Brine puts emphasis on providing customers with the highest quality products, while maintaining the lowest ecological footprint. They focus on bringing healthy, tasty meats to their customers, ensuring that the meat they purchase is used in its entirety! Beast and Brine also offer sandwiches, meat platters, cheese and fully-packed picnic baskets equipped with all the necessities (including utensils). They source the bread for their sandwiches from Fieldstone Artisan Breads. See? It’s an ongoing circle of support and unity… and we love it! Fieldstone and Beast and Brine’s partnership of bread and meat is mutually beneficial; customers are attracted to the wholesome, healthy products of one and are in turn, exposed to the other. When one business succeeds, they both prosper.
Good Day Sunshine Café is another example of a small local business who recognises the benefits of supporting their own. Good Day Sunshine Café takes pride in being a ‘third place’ of sorts – a middle ground between work and home life, a community coffee shop, where good food, good art, good music and good friends are aplenty. Almost everything on offer is made in-house from scratch, and if it’s not, it’s sourced from Fieldstone Artisan Breads. From time to time, they bring in ham from Beast and Brine.
One thing’s for certain, a sense of community is essential in order for small businesses in Surrey to thrive. And the three businesses above have this and a lot more in common. They are businesses dedicated to bringing diverse and delicious food with healthy, local ingredients to the residents of Surrey. In our book, this makes them pretty darn good neighbours.
Photo Courtesy of Good Day Sunshine Cafe