North Shore eatery dishes out hearty plant-based goods as they use social media to slay the industry
Rachel D’Sa / Contributor
Though it may have started out that way, social media is not just a tool to connect. With the growth of media outlets such as Yelp and Instagram, appealing to web surfers has become the new billboard of advertising. But a North Shore restaurant is using social media to take online marketing to the next level, with the development of a web show series, leading their success onwards as they continue their physical expansion.
Inspire, love and nurture health. Those are the words that North Vancouver plant-based cafe Buddha-Full serves by. The cafe was developed by its partners Geremie Voigt and Kyla Rawlins upon its first door swing in 2010 at 106 West 1st Street and has since, been bringing a reliable and easy approach to the health food scene.
It all began eight years ago when friends Voigt and Rawlins decided to combine their desire and experience. As Voigt’s father is a chef and Rawlins parents own a restaurant, the two worked endlessly together to create a healthy and planted-based spot with an inviting environment.
The business has grown to a second location in the Northwood Village (102-2120 Dollarton Highway), along with a ‘Buddha Bus’ that is on its way. The company has always had a strong online presence working with platforms including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, with a clean and well-thought design that transmit the idea of the cafe. “As a company, we definitely believe in the importance of having a clean and uniform social media layout,” said Lonsdale location manager, Brett Cummins, who has been with the company since October. Designed by Rawlins, the locations make for a social media-friendly environment, that relates with Voigt’s approach of visual importance for the first location of Buddha-Full, with recycled and self-built projects, making every corner photo material. “It is really important to make every single aspect of Buddha-Full beautiful,” said Rawlins, who knows the importance of customer review posts.
With this eye for business, over the last year they formulated a web show series titled, Buddha-Full TV. This is where the community and everyone that may be interested can learn and be inspired by the easy approach to the raw food hosts Voigt and radio host Mandy Gill teach in the show. The positive response in the community to this online expansion has led to an increase in incentive for partners to help grow the business. The show’s creators plan to attain a better space to film their content in and showcase various guests in the future.
The show reflects the homemade approach to food that Buddha-Full uses in-house, one that has done them a solid in the food community. “Our most popular menu item is probably the Lobo,” said Cummins, referring to the protein smoothie comprised of sprouted almond ‘mylk’, organic peanut butter, hemp protein, banana and dates. Cummins sees the eatery continuing to grasp the essence of Vancouver’s health trends as it further its aesthetic, developing in a city that prides itself on its visual appeal. “The plant-based community in Vancouver is pretty strong. I’ve been vegan for 22 years and I’d say this is a good place for that.”
For more information on Buddha-Full and to keep up with their upcoming developments, visit Buddha-Full.ca