Food First NL

10/20/2026

You're all so keen for more Great Things in Store, and we can't contain our own excitement any longer! We're happy to announce the 13 retailers we'll be working with to improve food access and affordability in their communities!

Phase 2's participating retailers are:
📍 Big Land Depot — Forteau
📍 Crosstown Kwik-Way — Glovertown South
📍 Ferryland Foodland — Ferryland
📍 Flynn's Clover Farm & Liquor Express — Avondale (returning)
📍 GroceryGo — Greens Harbour
📍 Heatherton Convenience — Heatherton
📍 Ray's By K&D Grocery LTD. — Paradise (returning)
📍 Krista's Clover Farm — Bishop’s Falls
📍 Mushuau Innu General Store — Natuashish
📍 Oceanview Convenience Ltd — Southern Harbour (returning)
📍 Princeton Variety — Princeton
📍 Seaside Convenience — Westport
📍 Smith Sound Variety — Harcourt

We'll be profiling each retailer individually throughout the Fall, so keep an eye on our social media for those, as well as details of upcoming community meetings. To learn more about Great Things in Store and our Phase 2 retailers, visit our website: https://f.mtr.cool/mvh851a1ji

10/19/2026

Now hiring a Social Enterprise Manager!

This is a great opportunity for someone versed in social enterprises and social impact philosophy. The ideal candidate has non-profit management experience, is comfortable using various software platforms, and manages staff with well-being in mind.

The Social Enterprise Manager will be responsible for our Social Enterprise portfolio. This includes the Avalon Food Hub, Western NL Food Hub, and Food on the Move. Responsibilities include managing social enterprise operations, seeking strategic opportunities, and overseeing staff. They will also support the organization as part of our Leadership Team.

Does this sound like a good fit for you or someone you know? Spread the word! Applications are due on Sunday, November 8.
foodfirstnl.ca/hiring/se-manager

10/16/2026

Do we have a bunch of soup in our fridge right now? 100%, and we are thrilled about it!

You can find Good Soup at Food on the Move and the Avalon Food Hub! Both flavours are delicious — we can't wait for you to try them.

Introducing Good Soup — just in time for the chilly fall weather!

Our new soup mixes blend comfort cooking with convenience. Add water, vegetables and protein (if you want), and voila! A delicious, filling meal to share with friends and family.

Good Soup is available in two flavours: Split Pea and Veggie Noodle.

Both flavours were developed, taste-tested, and packaged by our Team. They're delicious as is or by adding onion, carrots, chicken — whatever you have on hand.

You can find Good Soup at the Avalon Food Hub (orders open today!) or at Food on the Move (see us next week!). Good Soup is $3 per package, or $5 for our combo pack (includes both varieties).

What better day to announce our newest creation than World Food Day? We began Food on the Move to create a welcoming space for folks to buy fresh, affordable foods. Thanks to your support, it's become a bustling, joyful event that keeps on growing.

Which brings us to Good Soup. An idea that's been simmering for several years, but finally came to a boil this fall. We can't wait to share the fruits (or soups!) of our labour.

https://www.foodstjohns.ca/good-soup

10/15/2026

Have you ever walked past a fruiting tree in a public place and wondered, "Who picks that?" Then you need to learn about fruit rescue!

Join Central Animator Colleen in conversation with Becky Shea to learn more about the resources already growing around us. This chat will cover harvesting, sharing, and reducing food waste -- all while growing community connection.

📅 Wednesday, October 28 | 12:30 pm NDT
Register via Zoom: https://f.mtr.cool/kt7sr9jgty

10/09/2026

Our CEO, Josh, and Social Enterprises Manager, Sarah, headed off to Dieppe this week for the Atlantic Social Impact Exchange Summit. They found beautiful fall weather, new and exciting ideas, and some fellow N.L.ers (shout-out to SABRI Innovation!).

Unlike many packages, we're glad to say they both made it back without delay! Even Dieppe can't hold back our staff from sharing what they learned with the team.

10/08/2026

Fantastic lineup of advocates at this webinar next Thursday afternoon — including our Policy Coordinator, Laurel!

Register to attend at: https://righttofood-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T-EOsKGMQP-36QAO4F60Mw

Economic uncertainty, rising costs and geopolitical upheaval are reshaping the world around us. Governments are navigating enormous pressures and making consequential choices about what — and who — to prioritize. But people still need to eat. And everyone should be able to afford to do so.

Join Right To Food on October 15 to mark World Food Day and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. We’ll bring together advocates from across the country — Anthony Musiwa, Senior Policy Advisor at Right To Food; Laurel Huget, Program Coordinator at Food First NL; and Navdeep Singh Chhina, Managing Director at Living Wage BC — for a conversation moderated by Jasmine Ramze Rezaee, Director of Policy and Community Action at Right To Food.

Together, we’ll ask what this moment demands of us and how we can build the political will for a future where everyone can eat with dignity in Canada.

Register today: https://righttofood-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T-EOsKGMQP-36QAO4F60Mw #/registration

10/08/2026

October's arrival means crisp air, fallen leaves, and another edition of the Food First NL newsletter! Check your inboxes for a bountiful crop of events, updates, and learning opportunities happening throughout the month.

Not subscribed yet? It's as easy as apple pie! https://f.mtr.cool/fykma1n7bj

10/06/2026

The Read Feed is back and we're driving into property controls, how grocery corporations use them, and what the Competition Bureau is doing about it.

Not subscribed to our newsletter? Visit foodfirstnl.ca , hit Subscribe, and check out the newsletter archive.

10/05/2026

It's Fall, y'all!

There are so many local food options to choose from this time of year, whether you like to farm, forage, or just feast. Our handy Seasonal Buy Local Guides can give you insight into just how much there is to enjoy in Fall: https://f.mtr.cool/9cnaw0q3l4

Looking for a simpler way to enjoy local food this Fall? Check out the Western NL Food Hub or the Avalon Food Hub for the best flavours of the season, all in one convenient online marketplace.

09/30/2026

Food First NL's offices are closed today, September 30th, in observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.

Food First NL stands in solidarity with the survivors of the residential school system and remembers and honours the many children who did not return home. We are also reflecting on the lasting impacts of residential schools and ongoing colonialism on communities, nations, and families.

Advancing the right to food includes upholding Indigenous rights and sovereignty over their lands, waters, and food systems. As such, it also includes supporting those taking action to reassert this sovereignty. A future where everyone can eat with joy and dignity is only possible when Indigenous Peoples can fully and freely determine their own food systems.

We are committed to truth and reconciliation as a daily practice. This requires ongoing education, action, advocacy, and a deep commitment to change. This also requires us to act with humility, accountability, and openness — at both an individual and organizational level. We welcome opportunities for dialogue and feedback.