Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Maison Cote Best e-mail of the week

We met at the farmer's market in Whistler in late August and you said that your White Truffle Balsamic would be the best vinegar I ever had, and it is! In fact, I've used up my bottle. Is it possible for you to ship me six bottles? It would be going to New Jersey, USA. Please let me know. Thanks,
Yes I could mail it to you from  Blaine by Friday  Just look on my blogge under glass shipping, November post




Hello Jean-Pierre,

After going to a craft fair @ croatian cultural centre and seeing sea to sky seasonsings, I stumbled onto your website to read what has happened to you with the edible bc.  It made me quite upset reading this story.  I had thought that their sea to sky seasonings was a unique product and was produced by an artisan who was fortunate enough to have Edible BC carry their producets.  I had bought quite a lot, only to find out that even the name was taken from your company.  I see that you will be at Granville Island from the 12th to the 18th.  I am not sure if I would be able to drop by during the week day but had a question about the 17th.  You will be at both the famers market and the Granville Island Public Market?  I would prefer to go to Granville island as I will be in that area and wanted to know if you will be having similar product?  

Thank you,



Yes it is sad it is call a passage  when a store make a spin off of a supplier best product
The sad part in it  there was a article in the Vancouver Sun this week:



Sea to Sky Seasonings started on his kitchen table in Squamish after Edible BC lost its specialty salt supplier.
"We had been selling flavoured salts for a number of years when our supplier decided he didn't want to whole-sale any more," Pateman said. Edible BC has lost a number of producers who decided that the leap from cottage to commercial was too hard and packed it in.

Yes I was the specialty salt supplier it is funny as Mr. Pateman try to give itself a good conscience as we never stop whole sallying our products to him, he just stop ordering from us, they move lot of my products for 5 years and as Mr Pateman said they sale up to $10,000 a month of my Products. Mr Pateman is a business men with an MBA from England, I was is biggest supplier (with no love between each other I must say), he saw the value in my product
Now he produce a very similar product as my best seller for is store, he wholesale it in more then 100 stores and he try to get to the same Farmer market I do. Is this a bit convenient as an excuse to take the work of an Artisan especially when your claim to promote Local food artisan not to take there work from them?

MR Pateman said in the same article
"Since July of last year we were buying from a local supplier who was bringing in salt from Portugal," he said. "Now we are buying it direct from Portugal 1,000 kilos at a time.


Oh this sound so familiar "





PS. Maison Cote still produce 60 tone of seasoned sea salt a year, 5 tone of peppers and many spices to creating new edible every year to please your palate


I am so grateful that my customers are loyal.
My products will continue to be available through the Farmer's Markets, Granville Island (as a day vendor), online and local craft shows where you have found me in the past. 

Well Seasoned carry part of my line 
Thank you for taking the time to notify me of your concerns.


Jean-Pierre Cote / Maison Cote Edible made in Vancouver Est. 1993




4 comments:

ArianeK said...

Hi JP!

Are you kidding me? That's despicable! Acting like they are supporting local food businesses and then taking back the customers by making a knock off!?

Did you post about this somewhere? I couldn't find it...

Hope things are well otherwise!

Jean Pierre, Maison Cote said...

Good evening Ariane. I post it on my Website to make my clients aware then they could not find my products at Edible Canada or Edible BC as he change all the time next one probably Edible the world.
Not much I could do, I talk to my layer and he told me I do have a great case as a Passage and the use of one of my best selling salt (Sea to sky salt TM) but in the best case scenario. We are talking 2 to 4 years in Court, $150,000 and even if I win he could change one ingredients, is Company name and it likely I will recoup around 30% of my cost, I prefer to be more creative, (look at my New 12 year old balsamic, my new design salt mill). Unfortunately Business men learn in there first class to not reinvent the wheel, copy & past is the easiest thing to do and 98% of the time the one copy if not a huge corporation will not have the time, money or energy to start the court process, it is sad but this is life I am not the only one and I will not be the last. The best revenge is to be successful & happy, I stop feeling bad about it when I was doing the PNE and He pass in front of my stall with is head so high looking at the Selling , for a second I was sure he felt bad then he stop a 3 meter from my stall, his staff look at me tell him I was looking at him and then he start laughing, Just then I felt sorry for the poor sap has I had pity on him to be such of a small men. Then I created the Vancouver Jerk Spice another best seller.
Thank-You for your concern I am so lucky to have such good clients & Friends
Jean-Pierre

ArianeK said...

I've definitely heard of this stuff before with independent companies and big corporations, but wouldn't expect it of something like Edible BC. So disappointing.

But you're right, you get the last laugh knowing that you're not acting with a lack of integrity, and that your customers really care about you and your business.

My mom still raves about your balsamic. ;) Hope the holiday season is good to you!

Jean Pierre, Maison Cote said...

Thank-you Ariane
You are right it is disappointing but life is full of little and big disappointment we just manage to navigate true it and go on with our life & leave him with is Karma
I am a very happy Creator of original edible made in Vancouver since 1993 & I love my life.