Just have to tell you guys about this place. It is a small shop primarily selling candy. The owner, Lani, brings in candy from various countries on the request of her customers. There is quite an assortment from Britain, for instance. I understand she will also take orders for British bacon and pass them along to a butcher she knows (no markup for her). I don't know how British bacon differs from ours, but I gather there are 2 types: gammon and.. regular?

She also carries (more every day) a number of sugar free items, such as SF "suckers", Asher's chocolate bars and bulk chocolate, Ross chocolate bars ($1.69 each), Dutch licorice, Atkins Endulge PB bars, Baja Bob's SF drink mixes, Steel's products (pancake syrup, ketchup, BBQ sauce, maltitol crystals, etc.). She just called to tell me that she will receive a shipment of Torani SF syrups on Friday this week (french vanilla, black cherry, chocolate, caramel and hazelnut). She said she would be pricing the 750 mL bottles at $9.95!!!

Lani is really interested in bringing in low carb items for us and whenever I suggest something, she contacts her suppliers and/or the company's website to see if it is do-able. Unfortunately, she struck out with Diet Rite soda as it is just not available in Canada due to labelling issues. Since she is just one retailer and a small shop at that, she can't afford to make bulk orders normally - BUT she is very competitive in pricing, as you can see from the price of the Torani syrups and Ross bars.. If you get a chance, please consider encouraging her by visiting her shop at 732 Twelfth Street in New West. And if you want to, say "hi" to her from me!

I guess I should add that I am not affiliated with Lani in any way - just happened to drop in to the shop one day and struck up a conversation about low carbing.. Since then, we have exchanged a few phone calls wherein I gave her some websites and suggested a few products she might want to carry. I am a big believer in encouraging local businesses to cater to us low carbers, especially if they are willing to be reasonable in their prices.

If you do go to the shop, let me know what you think when you get a chance!

Thanks for the info. We live in New West, and my wife and I will be sure to check out the store.

Terrific, blueowl - I'm sure Lani (not sure of that spelling, I should add) will appreciate it!

Oooh...Thanks Jeanyyy!

I'll be sure to check it out some time next week!

Wynter

Great idea, Jean! Thanks for sharing this. It's great to hear about the SF Torani syrups, especially. That store is actually close to Yoga Tree Centres studio where we go for yoga, and I saw it & wondered about it the other day!

Also, a friend of mine found LC choc bars at Army & Navy for $1.49 each. I haven't been down there yet to "see" for myself .

Plus there's the drugstore you showed me at McBride Plaza (right name???). Maybe we need a New West/SOuth Burnaby specialties thread!

I try to get Hertel's nitrate-free bacon and have discovered it's available at Choices in the Park. I love going there and they'd probably be open to stocking more LC stuff, too. Unfortunately sometimes their prices are a bit high, as in the Hertel's bacon, but you can get it on sale from time to time, and their Choices sausages sometimes too (although I boo-booed and got some Sweet Italian sausage--noticed it had sugar in it when i got home--now what do i do???). Also they have organic and specialty meats and poultry plus lamb, and sometimes mark them down quite a bit as I don't think they turn over too fast in that neighbourhood, like they would at their main store.

TTFN,
Anny

Yes, People's Drug Mart has good prices for Ross chocolate.. $1.59 per bar if I remember correctly. Of course they have more buying power than Lani does.

Choices now has a "Carb Wise Bread" with 6G protein and 5g ECC per slice. It's $4.49. Haven't tried it yet but looks like it would be good with a burger!

They're in the "park", up behind BC Hydro & Edmonds SkyTrain station where there's 4 or 5 highrises.

Cheers, New Westminsterites!

Anny

I was just down in Seattle and bought bottles for $5.95 ( 7.85 Canadian ), but most of the items in the store were pretty pricey, so I am presuming that I should be able to find it cheaper.

http://www.kaldi.com sells bottles for $4.25 ($5.61 Canadian. )
( must by 12 in a case ) plus shipping.

If they make a profit at that price, She must be making a killing.

Anyone know a Canadian retailer that has Torani at a reasonable price?
Or a retailer in the US that has a cheaper price.

Magundy - the duty on that stuff would make your head spin! Hence the bigger prices this side of the border.

Cash'n'Carry (Smart'n'Final), Ohio Street, Bellingham, WA
<US $4 per, limited flavors in the Torani though a good selection in the DaVinci Gourmet.

JJ Beans Coffee SHop on Commercial Drive in Vancouver carries DaVinci SF syrups--they'll order in just about anything you want, $9.95. Also make a GREAT cup of decaf Americano, for the same price as a regular cuppa.

Oh, that's a switch (and that's good!). JJ Beans used to require a minimum of 6 ordered in any flavour they were'nt already carrying - which was like 4 flavours (a "special order").

I bet they have lots more flavours on the shelf now....