Starting a food business in Vancouver is no walk in the park. It requires not only passion, grit and skill but also a supportive network to navigate the challenges of funding, fulfilling orders, marketing, and complying with local regulations. Starting a food business as a newcomer to Canada has its own unique set of challenges, from language barriers to cultural adjustments and understanding local market dynamics.
Coho Commissary is a proud partner of Flavours of Hope, a non-profit social enterprise that equips and empowers newcomer refugee and immigrant women to earn a liveable income and make an impact in their communities by growing their own food businesses. Every year, Flavours of Hope supports a handful of women to start their businesses through the Dream Cuisines program, offering support in marketing, budgeting, and getting them started with the Vancouver Farmers Markets. Through our community partnership, Coho provides a space in our commercial kitchens to these businesses every year.
This year, we met the 5 business owners who are launching their culinary dreams in our kitchens: Delia’s Mexican Bite, Darna Moroccan Flavours, Everything Za’atar, Dar Darak Samira Kitchen, and Fariya Bakery.
Read on for the inspiring stories of five women who have turned their love for cooking into a business, each bringing a unique taste of home to the Vancouver community.
Delia’s Mexican Bite by Delia Fuentes
Delia’s Mexican Bite prepares Mexican sweets like conchas, orejas, pan de muerto, and more. Owner Delia Fuentes moved to Canada from Mexico in 2018 and decided to use baking as a way to reconnect with her home country. Having rarely cooked when living in Mexico, Delia challenged herself to learn how to bake using her mother’s recipes. This also became an opportunity for Delia to reconnect with her mother, who was still living in Mexico.
As a newcomer to Canada, she found community through Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House and would occasionally share her conchas and sweet breads with friends there. It was also through Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House where Delia met Laura Molina, owner of Sabor a Yucatan, one of Flavours of Hope’s 2023 Dream Cuisines alumni.
After lots of encouragement from her community, recipe refinement, and realizing how much she loved seeing smiles on people's faces after eating her baked goods, she applied to be a part of this year’s Dream Cuisines program.
Delia dreams of one day owning her own coffee shop specializing in Mexican treats. After moving to Canada and seeing how difficult it was to find authentic dishes from Mexico, she wants to open a space where other Mexicans can find a taste of home, and also introduce traditional sweet breads, cookies and cakes to the Vancouver community.
“Don't be afraid. If you’re thinking of starting anything, you can do it. Sometimes it's hard because we don't speak the language. Everyone who came here from another country had to renew themself, because it's too hard to be the same as we were in our home country. Don't be worried. If you want something, keep trying and don't look back.”
Darna Moroccan Flavours by Chaima Chmale
Darna Moroccan Flavours offers Vancouver a taste of traditional Moroccan savoury dishes and sweets like dates stuffed with hazelnuts, chocolate and strawberries, Fekkas and Ghraybeh (Moroccan-style cookies similar to shortbread).
Owner Chaima Chmale was born and raised in Morocco and moved to Canada in 2021. With experience in the restaurant industry and inspired by her mother, who is also a chef in Morocco, Chaima worked as a private chef at UBC and then a production chef for Pacific Yacht Charters when she first moved to Canada. Cooking was her therapy whenever she felt homesick. With a lack of Moroccan restaurants in Vancouver, Chaima was inspired to start her own business in hopes of sharing the rich traditions of her Moroccan heritage with the Vancouver community. After going on maternity leave last year, she switched gears and joined Flavours of Hope’s Dream Cuisines program, opening Darna Moroccan Flavours this summer.
Chaima’s goal for Darna Moroccan Flavours is to build her business’s online presence so that she can focus on mobile orders and catering events. Chaima currently works as a support worker for women fleeing violence. As a busy mom working a full time job in addition to running her own food business, Chaima’s ultimate goal is to grow her business enough so that she can work with a more flexible schedule and spend more time with her 1-year-old son.
“Nothing is impossible. With hard work, you can make it, even if you are alone. Starting a business takes a lot of effort, money, energy, and support. But if I can do it, you can do it. Keep working and keep pushing yourself, take some risks, and put your best foot forward.”
Everything Za’atar by Bushra Elias
Everything Za'atar started with a family recipe passed down from Bushra’s great-grandmother. Za'atar, a staple in Syrian and Levantine households, is celebrated for its health benefits and delightful taste.
Bushra moved to Canada two and a half years ago from Damascus, Syria, bringing with her the rich flavours and traditions of her homeland. Moving to Vancouver ignited a desire to connect with her new community through the tastes and traditions of her heritage.
While Bushra didn't have professional kitchen experience, she always enjoyed cooking for family and friends during Easter, Christmas, and family gatherings. The joy she felt seeing her loved ones enjoy her food motivated her to take her passions to the next level. Using her great-grandmother’s recipe for za’atar, she launched Everything Za’atar with the help of her two daughters Lora and Loujein, selling bottles of the spiced goodness online.
This year, Bushra joined the Flavours of Hope Dream Cuisines program to turn Everything Za’atar into a full-time business. She’s expanded her Za’atar offerings to include more Syrian food she loves, like mankoushe (a traditional breakfast flatbread in Syria) topped with Za'atar, tomatoes and mint, Za’atar croissants and Za’atar pita chips.
A year into running her own business, Bushra has learned the immense value of community and the joy that comes from sharing her culture and cuisine with others. Her goal is to bring happiness to people’s homes through Za'atar and share healthy food options from her culture, with the ultimate dream of seeing Everything Za'atar in every Canadian household!
"Be fearless. With your passion, everything is possible.”
Dar Darak Samira Kitchen by Samira Mohammed
Dar Darak Samira Kitchen makes traditional Palestinian and Saudi Arabian food like chicken and vegetarian Fatayer (savoury stuffed hand pies), Falafel, and Basbousa (sweet semolina cakes).
Samira Mohammed started selling her food when she lived in Saudi Arabia, after bringing Dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) to her daughter’s kindergarten class’ International Food Day. She was encouraged to sell her food, and ran a small business selling Palestinian dishes to family and friends on Facebook Marketplace.
When Samira and her family moved to Canada in 2017, she noticed the absence of Palestinian food in Vancouver. She began cooking her mother’s recipes like Maqluba (meat, rice, and fried vegetables cooked in a pot and flipped upside down when served) to soothe her homesickness and bring back memories of her mother and grandmother in Saudi Arabia. Samira introduced herself to neighbours by sharing dishes from home with them and found the confidence to start her own business after her food was well-received.
As a full-time mom of 5, Samira joined the Dream Cuisines program to start Dar Darak Samira Kitchen to support her family while also having the flexibility of being her own boss. Just a few months into the business, Samira has become more confident in her English after talking to customers and educating them about Palestinian dishes. Seeing how open Canadians have been to trying Palestinian food, Samira has become more motivated in her dream of opening a Palestinian Restaurant in Vancouver to share more authentic dishes with the community.
“Dar Darak” means “my house is your house” in Arabic, and exemplifies her goal of finding a new home in Canada and welcoming Vancouverites into the home of her Palestinian roots.
“Believe in yourself and believe in your work. Be active on social media, ask your friends to share the word, and get to know your neighbourhood. It’s difficult to start, but it will get easier and you will gain more confidence in the end.”
Fariya Bakery by Zahra Babajanipour
Fariya Bakery makes authentic flavours of Persian bread like Barbari (traditional Persian flatbread), Poacha (soft cardamom bread), Semite (braided bread with sesame seeds), Firinda (soft flatbread topped with tomatoes, cheese, and more), and Persian garlic bread (with parsley and cheese).
In 2022, Zahra Babajanipour moved to Vancouver from Iran to complete her MBA at University Canada West. The stars aligned for Zahra in the spring of 2023, when she completed her Master’s Degree and her family was able to join her in Canada.
For Zahra, cooking is the best way to show love to the people around you. This year, she joined the Flavours of Hope Dream Cuisines program to put her Master’s degree to the test and to launch Fariya Bakery. Zahra prides herself in using traditional ingredients and simple recipes to create something special, like the finger foods she serves at catering events.
Zahra currently works part-time at the Loblaws City Market, where she has been able to practice her English when speaking to customers. From adapting her recipes to scale with commercial kitchen equipment at Coho Powell, to creating new menu items that appeal to the vegan and gluten-free customers in Vancouver, Zahra has been quick to learn and pivot her business based on the evolving trends in Vancouver’s food scene. Through Fariya Bakery, Zahra’s dream is to open her own coffee shop where she can serve Iranian bread, cakes and cookies.
“You have to put in a lot of time. It helps to have the guidance of Flavours of Hope mentors with what forms to fill out, product pricing, and marketing. But going to markets will be the best experience and exposure so people can try your food and you can listen to their feedback.”
Celebrate and Support Culinary Dreams
Through the Dream Cuisines program, Delia, Chaima, Bushra, Samira, and Zahra have gained invaluable skills as independent business owners, built deep ties within their communities, and have taken significant steps toward achieving their dreams.
As they continue to grow their businesses, we encourage you to follow them on Instagram, find them at their next summer markets, or place an order/book a catering gig directly through their website or Instagram. Supporting these businesses means more than enjoying delicious food; you are also helping Delia, Chaima, Bushra, Samira, and Zahra realize their dreams.
Follow them on Instagram!
Delia's Mexican Bite | Darna Moroccan Flavours | Everything Za'atar | Dar Darak Samira Kitchen | Fariya Bakery
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