Wine lovers need to Graze
“There’s nothing better than charcuterie and wine,” said Sheena Barbour, who opened an Okanagan branch of the Graze Company on the Westside Oct. 15.
Graze offers charcuterie boxes, boards and tables to suit every occasion, bringing people together over a shared love of great food.
They have expanded into salmon boards as well as dessert boxes and boards.
The Graze Company was started in Vancouver by Barbour’s childhood friend.
Barbour, who grew up in the Okanagan but currently lives in Calgary, opened a location of the Graze Company in Calgary a year and a half ago.
The business has taken off and after visiting her parents on the Westside last summer, Barbour wanted to open a Graze here.
The Graze Company Okanagan works out of the Indigenous World Winery kitchen on the Westside. People coming to pick up their Graze box often grab a bottle of wine to go.
Kacia Scholz a former assistant sous-chef at Mission Hill Winery, puts the fresh boxes together.
Barbour said the Graze boxes make great gifts.
Large companies that weren’t hosting Christmas parties in 2020 because of COVID-19 were giving Graze boxes to their staff.
Some companies ordered individual mini boxes and wine for people to sip and nibble while visiting online using Zoom.
As well, people have been sending Graze boxes instead of flowers to people who have lost a loved one.
“This is so great to send people food because they’re in a time of grief or they’re not wanting to cook anything,” she said.
The boxes are also popular with real estate agents who give them to clients for possession dates or as a referral gift.
The champagne boxes also make great birthday presents.
Graze is offering a Valentine’s Day box and is working on a box for Mother’s Day.
Barbour is connecting with local wineries without kitchens that could store Graze boxes in a small fridge for guests to purchase and enjoy at the winery with a bottle of wine.
Since people weren’t entertaining when COVID-19 first hit, Graze came up with the do-it-yourself kit that comes with a bottle of wine, vacuum-sealed meats and cheeses and nuts as well as a step-by-step instructional brochure that shows people how to make their own charcuterie board.
The do-it-yourself kits were a hit when everyone was locked up at home and bored but wanted a little something nice for Friday night date night and to do something fun together.
The Graze box is packed with items such as fennel salami, prosciutto and nostran, a harder round salami, brie, aged cheddar and aged gouda. There are plenty of fruit and vegetables with red grapes, green grapes, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries, cucumbers and snap peas.
Graze makes its own in-house beet dip and an artichoke dip. For crunch, there are walnuts and pistachios. There is also honeycomb and Australian Tim Tam chocolate cookies.
The box is beautifully arranged and includes a fresh flower.
There are vegetarian and vegan options.
For Barbour, the best part of her business is the reaction of those who receive a Graze box.
“We’ve never had bad feedback,” she said. “Everyone who gets it is so happy because it so colourful and fresh.”
Reach Graze Okanagan at 250999-3555, email hello@thegrazecompanyokanagan.com or go online to thegrazecompanyokanagan.com.