A low-cost meat shop in downtown Chilliwack is making meals more affordable for seniors, and anyone struggling with the astronomical cost of groceries.
The philosophy at Tydel Foods is simple, said owner Brigida Crosbie: “It’s people over profit.”
The focus of the shop is on meat because it’s usually the priciest part of a shopping list, but Crosbie has not managed to obtain good deals from wholesalers. However making profits is not her main motive, feeding the community is.
As a retired health-worker, Crosbie has been running the little venture on a mix of compassion, empathy and her pension, with the help of volunteers.
She started Tydel Foods years ago out of the trunk of her car, then moved to a shared space in Sardis for a time, before settling into the storefront downtown.
“Together we are community helping community,” Crosbie noted on the TYDEL foods Facebook page, where she is offering a free Easter ham dinner to seniors who sign up this week.
Anyone is welcome to shop at Tydel, she underlined. It all started with a desire to help those facing food insecurity.
She remembers one elder in particular who texted her to say she had enough to eat for one day, but not for two.
“That was during COVID. Because I received that message, I retired from Chilliwack hospital after 35 years, and I run this now on my pension cheque.”
Five or six seniors per day come into the friendly little shop to buy the “seniors packages” which retails for $100, but priced at $50 for low-income seniors. The package is a big box full of bacon, sausages, pork shops, chicken breasts, chicken thighs, steaks, and more.
“Sometimes when they can’t pay the $50 we give it to them for free,” she said.
Tydel customer Joanne Gianforte says Crosbie is providing “a huge service” to the community, especially cash-strapped seniors like her.
Without the low prices at Tydel, many “would be going without,” she said, because the big-box prices are “exorbitantly high.”
Students and low-income customers are buying those same mixed packages for $100, which still offers a big discount from big-box grocery prices, with enough food for one good meal every day of the month.
“We are a safe place to be if you are hungry and have no money,” she said.
Tydel Foods has helped to feed thousands.
The more she sells, the more she can turn around and help the community. To date they’ve had more than $1 million in sales.
The longtime advocate of the homeless also tells those in need to come in on Saturday with a container, and they’ll fill it with soup or stew.
“They can come in here anytime they want. We’ll sit them down, and sometimes we’ll eat with them.”
As someone who found herself homeless a decade ago when her marriage dissolved due to domestic violence, Crosbie knows the pained look in their eye when she sees it.
“At the time I reached out to people but I didn’t know where to turn.
“And I was very ashamed of what happened. So I think that made me feel more open and empathetic. People are very comfortable in speaking with me because they know they can tell me what has happened.”
So how are people finding the shop tucked away on a side street?
“It’s just been word of mouth from our customers,” Crosbie said, as well as the Facebook page, TYDEL Foods, where she publicizes specials, especially when they purchase pallet-loads of food.
For low-income seniors interested in a free ham dinner, call or text 604-316-6015 by Friday evening, April 7, or visit Tydel Foods at 45766 Patten Avenue. To make a donation go to www.tydelfoods.ca.
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