Feel-Good Snacking: Locally-made, Healthier Options

Gas stations and convenience stores are known as the place to fill up on sweet treats, and it’s hard to resist the tempting swirl of the slushie machine when you stop in for gas. While we know moderation is the key and there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a chocolate bar, we’re also happy to carry some healthier options for on-the-go commuters—a way to fuel up where you fuel up.

Check out some healthier choices in many of our gas bar locations across Vancouver Island. As a bonus, all of these companies are based on Vancouver Island or in BC!

Good Life Juice 

From New York to Nanaimo, Goodlife was built on the idea that you can get the nutrients your body needs in a way that works for anyone, no matter your lifestyle. After moving back to Nanaimo from the Big Apple, Andrea Dershin founded Goodlife Juice to bring her newfound love of cold-pressed juice to the people of Vancouver Island. Since its founding in 2014, Goodlife has found huge success and can be found in retailers across the Island, including Mid Island Co-op Gas Bar locations in Nanaimo (Bowen, Cranberry, Woodgrove, Harewood), Chemainus, Parksville (Alberni Highway, Oceanside), and Lake Cowichan. The company is all about balancing the good things in life, including providing your body with the essential nutrients it needs.

Rebel Food

Great ingredients with a great taste shouldn’t be hard to find - that’s the ideology that Rebel Foods has built their reputation on. After 20 years spent managing cafés and restaurants in the Lower Mainland, the founders of Rebel knew they could do better. They set out to make gluten-free and vegan options readily available, and more importantly, delicious. The Vancouver-based company now offers a selection of products, including cookies, oat bars, brownies, and seasoned nuts in convenience grab-and-go packages.

Hardy Buoys

What started as a love for smoked fish and a little extra income for a young family has now grown into Port Hardy’s largest employer. Hardy Buoys was founded in 1994 by Bruce and Carol Dirom and has grown from a 3000 square foot freezer for tourist fishers in the summers to over 50,000 square feet in year-round manufacturing and storage space. The company now employs 65 employees (75 in the summer) and retails their products across Canada. Their salmon jerky is a best-seller and for a good reason, this protein-packed snack combines locally-caught fish with a punch of flavour.