When Allie Fry and Tyler Knight set out to start their own business, they had a noble goal: no plastic.
Noble but somewhat simple, they soon realized.
“We’ve learned that sustainability is about more than plastic,” said Knight, who owns Refillery District in downtown Orillia with fiancée Fry. “It’s about supply chains, locations, the type of business, the morals, the values that they have, and what the product is made of.”
Refillery District has become much more than the couple intended it to be when they opened it in July 2018.
The main focus was, and continues to be, food — organic produce, especially. The owners also wanted to offer bulk food, household cleaners, and eco-essentials such as sustainable, environmentally friendly utensils and straws.
Almost four years in, they now sell hundreds of items, from makeup and baby swaddles to brooms and bamboo toilet paper.
It seemed like a natural endeavour for Knight, given his entrepreneurial experience, and, even more so, Fry, who went to school for nutrition.
Knight refers to himself as the “tech guy” of the operation. Fry is the one who chooses and orders product after thorough research.
Both have a passion for the environment. Combine that with their skills, and it’s an ideal partnership.
Their concern goes beyond sustainability and extends to people. They want to make sure their products aren’t out of reach.
“It needs to be accessible to all socioeconomic classes. Cost can never be an inhibiting factor for food,” Knight said.
Whenever possible, the organic produce at Refillery District is priced the same as conventional produce at larger grocery stores.
“Organic shouldn’t cost more because of the name ‘organic.’ Organic should be what we’re putting in our bodies because it’s not added chemicals. It’s how food is grown,” he said.
That might mean less of a profit on some goods, but they’re OK with that.
As Refillery District has grown, it has inched closer to becoming a one-stop shop. There will always be certain items people will have to go elsewhere for, but Knight has noticed a trend.
Their customers would often come in to “fill in the blanks” after stopping at a larger store. Now, for many, it’s the other way around.
“This could have been a total flop, but Orillia embraced it as something they value as much as we do — even more, in fact,” Knight said.
The COVID-19 pandemic presented a silver lining for Fry and Knight. They had planned to create an online store eventually, but when early restrictions came into effect, they had to act fast. The two of them had the e-store up and running in a week. Curbside pickup and pre-orders continue to be popular.
Regardless of how they order, customers can expect to find plenty of local goods — some from Orillia and others from around Ontario.
Refillery District carries Copperpot Nuts in bulk. The Coldwater company roasts in small batches as needed by the store.
Creemore-based Miller’s Dairy products are available. Fry and Knight were taken by the quality of the milk and cream and by the way the company cares for its animals.
Biscuits and scones from chef Melanie Robinson, owner of Eclectic Café a block away, can be purchased frozen.
“If we can find a product that meets our standards locally, that’s our first pick,” Knight said.
Sustainability is a two-way street. If there is produce at Refillery District that is getting to the point where it can’t be sold, it is often given to Robinson, who can get creative and use it to make jams or other goodies.
Products from Norfolk County’s VG Meats are a popular pick at Refillery District. Most of the Simcoe-area shop’s goods include some sort of plastic packaging, but, for its Orillia client, it wraps the meat in butcher paper, and it is sold frozen.
That was an attractive option for Fry and Knight since butcher paper is allowed in Orillia’s compost stream.
They’re focusing on the small details to make a significant impact. Even the paper bags, produced in Bracebridge, are reusable because they contain a vegetable wax lining.
Not everything can be diverted from the landfill, however. Plenty of produce comes in cardboard boxes lined with wax that cannot be recycled, but solutions are being sought.
Greg Preston, the City of Orillia’s manager of environmental services, asked if he could take some of the boxes and test to see if they could be broken down in compost. It didn’t work, but “we’ve got people seeing what’s possible,” Knight said.
He expects that to continue.
“Sustainability, as a whole, is something that isn’t a trend. It’s a necessity at this point,” he said. “It’s not like it’s hidden information anymore. It’s clear what we need to do. People are starting to realize that. The more types of businesses like ours that are available to the consumer, the better chance we have of making a difference.”
Fry and Knight chose their 18 Mississaga St. E. location for a reason. There is nothing like Refillery District, and the closest competition is Metro. Even calling it competition is a stretch. Refillery District specializes in sustainability while most large grocery stores simply dabble in it.
There are signs of change, however. The organic sections at those stores have been expanding in recent years.
“It shows that this isn’t a trend that’s going to be dwindling away. This is the way of the future,” Knight said.
As for the future of Refillery District: “We want to be able to offer this to as many people as we can, both locally and maybe in other locations down the road. It’s something we’ve poured our hearts and souls into — Allie, especially.”
Nathan Taylor’s local food and drink column appears every other Saturday.
