Popular fresh food market returns to Nunavut’s capital

IqaluEat, a group of Iqalungmiut working to create a fresh food co-op in Iqlauit, are following up on the success of a fresh food market they put on Aug. 30, pictured, with a second expanded market at Nakasuk School on Saturday, Nov. 8. (PHOTO BY PETER VARGA)

Iqaluit residents will have a chance to pick up what’s left of this season’s southern harvest Saturday, Nov. 8, when IqaluEat puts on their second fresh food market at Nakasuk School.

The citizens’ group, formerly known as the “citizens’ committee for an Iqaluit food co-op,” hosted their first food market Aug. 30 at the Francophone Centre, where they offered some 700 kilograms of fresh vegetables, fruit and cheeses shipped in from producers in eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

Every item sold within 90 minutes, said Michel Potvin, founding member of the group of six, who started the committee. That first success has brought them a step closer to their goal of creating a food market co-operative for Iqaluit.

“We want to offer, as much as possible, what’s in season, what’s fresh, and sell it at a reasonable cost,” said Potvin.

This time around, IqaluEat will offer almost twice as much produce — the bulk of it in-season, harvested within a few days of transport to Iqaluit.

All of it will be up for sale in Nakasuk School’s gymnasium, a venue three times larger than the Francophone Centre.

The expanded offering is IqaluEat’s answer to the overwhelming response from residents in the first market. Residents waited in a line extending along the street that never seemed to diminish, and supplies sold out as many were still waiting outside.

“We served about 200 people at the August 30 market,” Potvin recalled. “Many left because the line-ups were too long. I suspect at least another 100 didn’t make it in.”

Organizers hope the larger space will accommodate all shoppers. Up to six cashiers will work to help keep shoppers moving and avoid line-ups.

Also, organizers will offer pre-packed bags of produce, which will contain the market’s most popular products, at a fixed price.

“Produce-wise we had about 50 different products in the first market. We’ll have about 92 for this market,” Potvin said.

The autumn offering of vegetables will include four different types of squashes, and several root vegetables such as rutabagas and three varieties of beets, he said.

“We’ll have white asparagus, which you can’t find here very often, heirloom tomatoes, very likely, and black radishes — more as a curiosity for people to try.”

Fruits will include apples form an orchard in eastern Ontario, strawberries, and from further afield, oranges, lemons and limes.

“We’ll also have Montreal-style bagels and baguettes,” and possibly specialty products such as honey, maple syrup and coffee, Potvin said.

IqaluEat’s key partner in the enterprise is Northern Shopper, which buys all produce locally in the South and ships it to Iqaluit.

Northern Shopper can send the produce north at reasonable rates, since it’s subsidized under the Nutrition North program.

Potvin says about 85 per cent of the market’s products cost less than comparable ones offered at Iqaluit’s two grocery stores, North Mart and Arctic Ventures. The market’s main selling point is freshness and high quality, he said.

IqaluEat’s ultimate goal is to create a food market co-operative. The group has the support of Carrefour Nunavut, a territorial francophone economic development agency, which has provided some financing and logistical help.

The francophone heathcare network Réseau de santé en français de Nunavut and the City of Iqaluit’s Niksiit committee have also provided support.

“We’ve solicited assistance from other jurisdictions that are well-versed in the co-op world, so to speak, to give us a bit of assistance,” Potvin said, “to basically do a needs-assessment for us and see what would be best for Iqaluit.”

The new co-op won’t necessarily be centred in a building or store, he said. One likely alternative is a purchaser’s co-op, where members would arrange purchase and shipping directly from southern producers every week or two.

“We’re looking at all options,” Potvin said.

IqaluEat’s food market opens at 1:30 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 8 in the gymnasium of Nakasuk School. Pre-selected bags with assorted produce will be available for pick-up at 1:00, if you want to avoid waiting in line.

Contact iqaluEat@gmail.com for information.