What motivated you to start your business and what is your vision for the future of the company?

Our journey towards starting this business was inspired by the global pandemic, which disrupted our active lifestyles and prompted us to focus on improving our diet. Seeking a healthier start to our day, our easy go-to-pick-me-up breakfast was oatmeal, but it quickly became boring. We wanted a bit more fun in our bowls - without all the sugary processed options you usually find at the stores. The breakthrough came when we discovered the incredible potential of freeze-dried fruit toppings. These vibrant, crunchy bits of real fruit, free from added sugars, offered an exhilarating burst of flavor and texture. We were amazed by how freeze-drying preserves up to 90 to 95% of the nutritional value while maintaining exceptional flavor, versatility, and shelf life. Motivated by this revelation, we created our freeze-dried yogurt crunch with personalized formulas as our first step. This innovation not only embraces the benefits of freeze-drying but also introduces a new dimension to healthy snacking. Our vision for the future is to continuously explore and develop new flavors and varieties of freeze-dried snacks, expanding the boundaries of what healthy, delicious snacking can be. We are excited to lead the way in this space and bring more joy and health to our customers through inventive and wholesome snacks.

Why do you deserve to win the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award?

Winning the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award would be an extraordinary affirmation of our journey and accomplishments. Our venture began with a spark of passion rather than a formal business background. We saw an opportunity to revolutionize healthy snacking with freeze-dried yogurt crunches—an innovative approach that retains nutritional value and offers a delightful experience for families, kids, and even pets. Starting from scratch, we embraced the challenge of navigating a complex business landscape and spent countless hours learning not only about the intricacies of the food industry but also about the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Our journey has been marked by a series of obstacles and challenges, yet our dedication and resilience have driven us to continually evolve and innovate. Balancing full-time jobs and parenting a 5-year-old, we have poured our hearts into every aspect of our business, proving that even without a business background, passion and perseverance can lead to remarkable achievements. Winning this award would not only validate our hard work but also serve as a powerful testament to other young entrepreneurs that with determination and a clear vision, dreams can indeed become reality. This recognition would inspire us to push the boundaries of our creativity, drive further innovation, and make a more significant impact on our community. Our story is a testament to the belief that with hard work and commitment, anything is possible.

Why do you think you should win the Premier’s People’s Choice Award?

Our commitment to supporting the local community is at the heart of everything we do. We proudly manufacture all our products in BC and make it a priority to source ingredients from local suppliers whenever possible. For example, our blueberries and raspberries come directly from BC farms, ensuring the freshness and quality of our offerings while supporting local agriculture. In addition to sourcing locally, we actively engage with and support other businesses in our community. We collaborate with local artists to feature their artwork on stickers, which we distribute as free inserts to help promote their work and create visibility for their talents. Our partnership with a local natural soap company is another way we contribute, as we help promote their high-quality, natural ingredient soaps. One of our most recent collaborations involved working with Killer Ice Cream at the Vancouver Ice Cream Festival. This event was not just a celebration of local flavors but also a platform to support the “Free Corky” campaign, which aims to return the last surviving Northern Resident captive orca to her family in the wild. This initiative aligns with our values of conservation and community support. Our involvement extends to the fitness community as well. We proudly sponsor several fitness studios, including Lagree West and Social Run Club YVR, and support free yoga in the park events hosted by Concord. These sponsorships and events are not only a way to promote an active and healthy lifestyle but also reflect the personal journey of our founders, Han and Jenny. Their passion for fitness was a major inspiration behind starting OHME!, and they continue to champion activities that encourage an active lifestyle. Through these various initiatives, we demonstrate our unwavering dedication to fostering local talent, supporting community causes, and promoting wellness. Each step we take reflects our core values and commitment to making a positive impact on our community.