Winner
Striped Art Pierogies by The Tisto Factory
Made in Calgary
$12 to $33
the-tisto-factory.com
Picture this: a newcomer family who just arrived in Calgary is invited to a potluck hosted by some neighbours in their new city. The family brings a traditional dish from their native country — pierogies — but with a colourful striped design. The vegetable-dyed dumplings, meticulously crafted and bursting with flavours like caramelized pear and mascarpone, or prosciutto and baked potato, become a fan favourite with the new crowd. The pierogy-makers are showered with praise, suggesting they turn this culinary creation into a business.
To truly appreciate the story of how this family business, The Tisto Factory, and its Striped Art Pierogies came to be, let’s rewind to 2022.
Anna and Vladimir Posikera, a savvy marketer and lawyer, were living in the town of Konstantinovka in the Donbas region of Ukraine. But things took a dramatic turn after the Feb. 24 invasion by Russia. In the following months, the couple packed their lives up into a few backpacks and embarked on an uncertain journey with their two young children, Illia and Nikita, and Anna’s mom, Inna Malmyhina.
The sounds of sirens, explosions and gunfire were constant companions as the family moved through western Ukraine into Romania.
With limited English and a lot of determination, the Posikera family eventually made their way to Calgary, enticed to the city by relatives who had settled here in 2000. They were greeted with open arms. Neighbours offered toys, household items and immense support, giving them the warm welcome they needed to start anew.
Amidst settling in, they attended the aforementioned potluck party that would change their lives. It was their son who suggested they bring their pierogies, based on a recipe passed down from Anna’s great-grandmother, but with a unique twist. The Posikeras coloured the dough using vegetable pastes from carrots, beets, spinach and red cabbage to create a kind of applique in the form of vibrant, colourful stripes. The pierogies were not only visually stunning, but also delicious, captivating everyone at the party.
Encouraged by the response, Anna and Vladimir saw an opportunity. Despite their non-culinary backgrounds, they decided to take a leap of faith and start a food business. They named it “Tisto,” derived from the Ukrainian word for dough.
Today, The Tisto Factory is a thriving enterprise. Renting a commercial kitchen and partnering with retail giants like Co-op and Sobeys, the Striped Art Pierogies come in 11 flavours (plus one Sobeys-exclusive flavour). Each is a colourful masterpiece with delightful fillings and quirky names like Blue Ninja, Agent Spinach and Chicken in Law.
Every stripe on a Tisto Factory Striped Art Pierogi tells a story of resilience, tradition and care that the Posikeras pour into their work. Each bite is a celebration of flavours, a nod to tradition and a reminder that, even in the face of adversity, a little creativity and a lot of love can lead to something truly extraordinary.
What the Judges Said: “From their incredible origin story to their clean, visually appealing packaging, Tisto’s pierogies stand out not just for their delicious taste, but for the sheer innovation they bring to the table.” Melissa Edighoffer
Savoury Food Category Runners-up
Cheeze Sauce by For the Love of Cheese – Vegan Cheezery Inc.
Made in Spruce Grove
$13 to $15
thevegancheezery.ca
The family-owned and operated business, run by three generations of Alberta women, has been perfecting its potato and carrot-based sauce for more than six years. The journey started with a need to cater to two young children in the family with dairy and gluten intolerances and eventually blossomed into a passion for uniting families at dinner tables.
For the Love of Cheese – Vegan Cheezery Inc.’s Cheeze Sauce, handcrafted in Parkland County just outside Edmonton, is a healthy, tasty treat made with simple whole food ingredients like carrots, potatoes, organic coconut oil, organic lemon juice and spices. It’s best served warm — but also freezes well — and pairs perfectly with mac and cheese, scalloped potatoes and cheesy dips, drizzled over veggies or even over chips (to make your next nacho night a hit).
Daddy C’s Hot Jerk Sauce by Daddy C’s
Made in Calgary
$10 to $20
dcjerk.ca
Picture a symphony of green onions, thyme, garlic and the fiery intensity of Scotch bonnet peppers, all expertly blended into a sauce that ignites your taste buds. Handcrafted in small batches, Daddy C’s Hot Jerk Sauce ensures that everyone can experience that taste of Jamaica in their kitchens.
Owners Yvonne and chef Vindel embarked on a mission to make Jamaican cuisine more accessible and dispel the myth that jerk sauce must be overwhelmingly spicy to be flavourful. With Vindel’s culinary expertise and experience catering to those with allergies, the duo created a sauce that’s not only bursting with flavour but also allergen-friendly — gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free and MSG-free.
That journey, from cooking for friends to crafting this sauce, is how Daddy C’s got to where it is today, delivering deliciously authentic Jamaican tastes to the tables of casual backyard barbecues and elegant gourmet dinners alike.
Wild Mushroom Soup by Untamed Feast
Made in St. Albert
$10.99
untamedfeast.com
Indulge in the delight of a hearty bowl of soup, ready in just 20 minutes, thanks to Untamed Feast’s Wild Mushroom Soup. Driven by their love for mushrooms and sustainability, Eric and Michelle, the passionate duo behind Untamed Feast, craft each product with care and expertise honed over years of foraging and advocacy for the benefits of mushrooms.
The Wild Mushroom Soup blends European tradition with modern convenience, featuring a tantalizing mix of shiitake, oyster and other wild mushrooms, with locally foraged porcini and boletus luteus adding a touch of local flair.
Dry and shelf-stable, this soup requires only a handful of simple ingredients like sautéed onions, cream and white wine to transform it into a gourmet delight. Its adaptability extends to lighter tastes or vegan diets, ensuring everyone can relish its delicious flavours.