Edible Notables: The Root Cellar

Green Sauce. Apparently, there are two types of people in the world: “Those who love Green Sauce, and those who haven’t tried it yet!”

You can find this popular house-made condiment at The Root Cellar Village Green Grocer. “It has become a local phenomenon,” says co-owner Adam Orser. “It literally pairs well with almost everything!” 

Of course, that’s not all you’ll find at this local grocery store. Adam and his wife Daisy founded the green grocer in 2008 with a local focus; anything that they can possibly source from local producers, they carry. The store offers a wide selection of provincial conventional and organic produce, a full-service deli and butcher counter, grocery, dairy, bread, and a boutique floral department and garden centre—and don’t forget the coffee bar. 

But the Root Cellar isn’t just another grocery store. Adam and Daisy grew up in the Kootenays, in homes with root cellars filled with canning, dried fruit and other preserves. “The root cellar was the heart of the home, where you found nourishment, nostalgia, and delicious, nutritious food from close to home,” reminisces Daisy. But that connection seemed to be missing in the grocery industry. Having worked a combined 24 years in the industry, they felt there was a void between the customer and their food. “[We wanted] to revitalize the values of mealtime. The Root Cellar was created to bring these wholesome values to the market.”

So they searched for the perfect place to realize their vision for a sustainability-focused business. It wasn’t about finding the perfect building or making sure they wouldn’t have competition; “It was about finding people with a shared mentality, focus, interests and passions,” says Adam. After lengthy market research and many trips, they determined that Victoria fit the bill.

They packed up their life and their three children (at the time, the kids were nine and three years old, and three months old) and moved from the Okanagan to Victoria, and they began fulfilling their dream of supporting and growing sustainable food systems, becoming a part of Victoria’s vibrant food scene. “We love working with local growers, makers, restaurants and the like, and we love educating people about the importance of knowing where their food comes from, and the impact their food dollars can have,” says Daisy. This is a passion they have also passed on to their kids, now 23, 17 and 14 years old—the eldest now works in management for the business.

When the couple moved here over 13 years ago, there were two locations that caught their eye: McKenzie Corner, where their current location sits, and Oxford Corner. And now, by the end of October, you’ll be able to find your Green Sauce and other groceries at both locations. “It took awhile but here we are! We are very excited to become a part of Cook Street Village and open our doors to the community,” says Daisy. The new location will offer the same values and products as the flagship Root Cellar (with the exception of The Coffee Project and The Potting Shed Floral & Garden Market, due to space constraints).

With many awards and accolades under their belts (like the recent Greater Victoria Business Awards “Business Person of the Year” award or their 13-year running win for Best of the City’s award for having the best produce), the duo loves what they do—and the most difficult problem they face? “When we run out of Green Sauce!”

The Edible Notables Series is proudly sponsored by Beacon Law Centre