A family with Fort Providence roots has secured a spot in the 2025 Pow-Wow Pitch finals with a business aimed at tackling food insecurity in the North.
Bebia Cho Foods Co, specializing in a variety of apple chips, is vying for a $25,000 prize in the food and drink category alongside other Indigenous entrepreneurs from across Canada.
Founder Wendy Landry-Braun, a member of the Deh Gáh Got’ı̨ę First Nation, began the company from her home kitchen, peeling apples the old-fashioned way. She uses all parts of the fruit – even the core – to make the snacks.
Named after a nickname given to her by her late grandfather, bebia cho translates to “big baby” in Dene Zhatıé.
Though she grew up in the south and now lives in Kelowna, British Columbia, her business is focused on supporting communities in the North – especially the one her family calls home.
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Bebia Cho is donating cinnamon apple sticks to isolated northern communities, where fresh fruit is often hard to find or unaffordable. So far, Landry-Braun has connected with a community in Nunavut and plans to ship products there.
“I grew up down here, disconnected from my home. I grew up canning and preserving fruits with my parents. Every time I went home, everybody was always asking me, ‘Where’s my fruit? Where’s my fruit?'” she told Cabin Radio.
“Being from Fort Providence – a place that is covered in snow how-many months out of the year, and not many people have seen a fruit tree – I am trying to be part of the solution by bringing healthy food options to the North.”
Landry-Braun launched Bebia Cho’s website a day before her birthday on May 23. Since then, support has steadily grown.
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BC’s Lake Country Food Bank is opening its kitchen to her this week to help expand her healthy snack initiative in the North, while a Kelowna grocery store owner has stepped up to mentor and guide her through the process.
Landry-Braun and her family secured first place at the Kamloopa Pow Wow Pitch, held from June 27 to 29. Aside from the $5,000 prize money they received, the project has been entirely self-funded.
Winning the competition would allow her to expand distribution, upgrade packaging, and keep shipping costs down, something she described as a “major obstacle.” She is also on the lookout for sponsors to help cover those expenses.
“That’s what my goal is. I want to be able to offer these chips at an affordable price,” she said.
Landry-Braun is currently on maternity leave and in the process of acquiring a commercial business licence. She encourages other stay-at-home mothers looking to earn an income to join the team.
One of the nine apple chip flavours is called Every Child Matters, featuring strawberry and white chocolate with heart sprinkles and dried berries.
New additions include dark chocolate and sea salt and another item with a coffee twist.
“It’s such an indulgence, it’s so good. You feel good eating it because it’s got apple chips in it. We have different sizes so it is an indulgence, but a limited amount,” she said.
“Everything is just happening so fast. We’re currently home-based but I have got all the works in to upgrade to a corporate status. All of our stuff is in the food labs testing right now.
“We have the whole gang helping us – my two daughters, my little baby and my boyfriend Chad. It’s a whole family thing … I want this to be sustainable. Right now, I am building the future for my kids to carry this on.”
