Two Indigenous Vancouver women are taking the home-cooking world by storm.
Kelsey Coutts and Destiny Hoostie are the founders of Bangin' Bannock. The dynamic duo sells dry bannock mix in convenient eco-friendly bags enabling consumers to make it at home. Each bag contains dry mix for about eight servings. The recipe consists of four simple ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and Himalayan salt. The only additions needed are water and frying oil, though bannock can be baked as well.
The mix bags can be purchased online or from several local businesses, including United Strangers Coffee, Branch on Bowen, and We Are Turtle Island.
Processing is done at a commercial food facility in North Vancouver while distributing is handled out of their home in South Vancouver.
Bannock is a traditional unleavened bread widely considered a staple in Indigenous cuisine.
"We grew up in a family of six kids, so bannock was just a way to feed a lot of kids and it was something that was delicious and it was versatile," explains Hoostie.
"When you're eating together, you are already sharing on a different level and it opens those doors for communication in a really beautiful way," adds Coutts.
The team behind Bangin' Bannock was brought together by the 3C Challenge, an initiative that helps Indigenous people develop business skills and explore their entrepreneurial opportunities.
Each month, the small business donates 10 per cent of proceeds from sales to a specific cause. Throughout October, customers can support the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund. The group strives to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
