Online grocer Spud.ca launches campaign to highlight women-led brands

Online grocer Spud.ca – which delivers to Calgary, Edmonton and throughout B.C., – has launched a campaign to help highlight women-led brands.

Bridget Westerholz is the vice-president of marketing at Spud, and says it's hoped the 'Her Fair Share' campaign will alert people to the brands through advertising, making them more visible to consumers.

"There's not nearly as many as we thought we had," Westerholz said.

"We started looking at the industry and an interesting fact came up, only 18 per cent of businesses in Canada are women led. It's a very male dominated industry."

Westerholz saw a need to do better, and has now set a goal to increase Spud.ca's selection of women-led brands from 20 per cent to 25 per cent by 2025.

She says by highlighting local, women-led companies, many of the barriers women face when starting their own company will be reduced.

"We don't charge listing fees, vendors can then get their products listed with us into consumers' hands," Westerholz said.

"If consumers like it, then it spirals from there, and then more consumers want the (products). The next retailer could pick it up and say, 'Yes, we're also going to start this product because it's proven.'"

Becky Freeman-Musij is the marketing manager at Spud.ca, based in Calgary, and says there are five local women-led products they currently sell.

"We have some great local brands," she said. "Nude Market, they're a peanut butter-based company. Micro YYC, they're sprouts in greens. We have Ellie Bianca and their health and wellness products. We also have Routine, which is quite popular here in Calgary, as well as Milk Jar candle company."

Freeman-Musij says the company is actively looking for more women-led businesses and their products to feature.

"We're putting it out to the community as a call to action," she said.

"If you're a brand out there that's looking for a platform to amplify your story and sell your products on our Spud.ca shelves, then we encourage you to apply."

'Scaling and sustaining'

Evelyne Nyairo is the fonder of Ellie Bianca Beauty, a company she started in 2015.

It's a natural skincare company with manufacturing and distribution based in Calgary.

Nyairo says there are still many barriers women entrepreneurs face.

"Lots of women are starting businesses, but very few are scaling and sustaining the business," she said.

"We have to explain ourselves a whole lot more … We can be a little patient to navigate all these challenges, but it takes partners like Spud.ca that are putting programs in place, recognizing the challenges, and they want to work with us to actually accelerate the growth."

Nyairo says Spud.ca helped her learn how to approach retailers and market her product.

"Having a program like Her Fair Share will create tremendous help for newcomers, because now you have a partner that is actually already open, as opposed to you trying to figure out 'Where do I start?' 'How do I put my pitch,'" she said.

"They're not just willing to put the product on the shelf, but they're aware of the challenges so they're going to work with you so you learn the industry."

Nyairo says society needs more women in business and running their own businesses in Calgary and across the country.

"The population is changing, we need more women in advanced manufacturing, we need more women in consumer goods," she said.

"Because this is really how we build an equitable community and make an equitable society that really is inclusive and everyone is participating fully."