Steam buns, spring rolls and purple yam ice cream. Sound interesting?
These are just some of the unique and authentic Asian items flying off the shelves at E&T Pacific Rim Market.
The market, located at 147B 1st Ave. N, opened its doors last month providing a variety of Asian-specific shelf items, as well as frozen food.
Owners Ron and Elena Brodland said the couple has wanted to provide the service to lakecity residents since 2005, but finally made the decision to open a store while they were evacuated during the wildfires in Prince George and had access to the foods Elena grew up with in the Phillippines.
“It’s been a dream for a long time,” Elena said, who works also works as a lab assistant in Williams Lake. “But I decided to open in the summer when we were on evacuation in Prince George. They have a Filipino store there and I was walking around thinking of all the great things we could have in our store.
“What we’re doing here at the store is focusing on the whole Pacific Rim — Korean, Japanese, Thai, Malaysian, Vietnamese — we want to bring as many products as we can for our customers, and plan on bringing a lot of things people can’t get anywhere else in Williams Lake.”
Frozen food items like multiple varieties of fish, whole black tiger prawns, seafoods, spring rolls, chicharrón (fried pork belly/rinds) and, a popular favourite, steam buns — including barbecue pork buns. Filipino ice cream, made from purple yam, is also a big hit at the store, Elena said, along with many snack-food items, authentic teas, drinks, Filipino sausages, traditional noodles, miso soups and much more.
“Filipino ice cream is very smooth compared to our ice cream here, and has a very nice flavour,” she said.
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“Our main focus is to get our main products established and then we’re hoping we can branch out into some other avenues in the future like fresh goodies and vegetables, or preparing things like traditional Filipino dishes for customers where people can give us a call to order. But right now we’re starting with our core products of international foods and then going from there.”
E&T Pacific Rim Market has a points program and uses a downloadable app, Loyalty Ocean, where customers can earn free credit by simply downloading the app. The app keeps track of points, receipts and lets customers know current specials. Anyone signed up for the rewards program is also entered into a monthly draw.
The couple also owns the Burger Shed in Williams Lake, and are offering a free classic burger coupon for anyone who buys $20 worth of products from the market as a way to familiarize lakecity residents with the store’s products.
Elena said her biggest priority, however, is making a connection with her customers.
“I want my customers to feel welcome and really get to know them,” she said. “To the point where you’re going to know each customer and their needs.”
For questions about products call 1-778-412-9553 or visit them on Facebook by searching “E&T Pacific Rim Market.”
E&T Pacific Rim market is open daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and is located at 147B 1st Ave N. across from the Tribune.
