Connect directly with your food and wine
Editor’s note: This is the fifth of 40 profiles for the Kelowna Top Forty Under 40 program presented by BDO Accountants and Consultants, the Junior Chamber of Commerce International ( Okanagan branch), Kelowna Chamber of Commerce and The Daily Courier. Every week in this space, we’ll feature someone under the age of 40 who is making an impact through business, community involvement and innovation.
Drew Vincent, 28, has taken the circuitous route. “Originally, I was studying criminology and that just wasn’t the path for me,” he said.
“I worked in the oil patch for awhile and then in the restaurant industry managing the kitchens at Salty’s and Earls in Penticton.”
Vincent liked the food industry, but wanted to get into the business, marketing and promotions side of it so he enrolled in Okanagan College’s business degree program.
He graduated in the spring with specializes in accounting and marketing.
“I wanted to get my degree because I wanted to be well-rounded and entrepreneurial.”
With such experience, education and attitude, Vincent landed a job shortly after graduation with soilmate.com, the Kelowna-based consumer website founded by foodie businessman Matt Gomez.
“Soilmate.com is where you go to connect more directly with your food and wine,” said Vincent, who is director of marketing and operations with the company.
“We have listings for 8,500 farms, markets, wineries, grocery stores and restaurants.”
The information on the website is free for consumers and the businesses listed don’t have to pay, either. “It’s a free model,” said Vincent. “The company makes money from the advertising on the website. Right now, it’s mostly credit unions and banks, but there could also soon be restaurants and grocery stores that want to highlight what they have that’s local and what farms they’ve sourced from.”
Of course, there are listings for the obvious farmers’ markets and fruit and vegetable farmers in the Okanagan.
But Vincent said there are also listings for things you might not initally think of, such as honey wine, duck eggs, ostrich or boar meat and exotic cheeses.
“These are all passionate producers who want consumers to know they can eat local and healthy by purchasing directly from the farmer, at a farmers’ market or at a grocery store or restaurant that’s buying local, too.”
Devin Rubadeau, a business professor at Okanagan College, nominated Vincent for Top Forty Under 40.
“Drew was an outstanding student when he was at Okanagan College,” said Rubadeau.
“And he is also a significant volunteer who inspired other students to step up and and do more and do better.”
Vincent joined Enactus, the college group for business students to get real-life experiences through volunteering and helping businesses.
“As the president of Enactus, he helped make several programs successful and increased the number of business students who joined,” said Rubadeau.
“He made such an impact that when Okanagan College celebrated its 50th anniversary and compiled a 50 top influencers in 50 years list, Drew was on it.”
Some of the Enactus projects included a MOMentum initiative to help single moms with financial literacy, job search and healthy living; a Farm Bag Fundraiser to help farmers get their produce to local market; and Rewind, a partnership with local wineries to make sure recycled wine bottles make it back to local wineries for reuse.