Still serving Starbucks? BC Ferries explains procurement process amid U.S. trade war
BC Ferries says it’s rolling out a Buy Canadian campaign on its vessels and working on finding more ways to source local products as the country continues to face a trade war with the U.S.
BC Ferries’ senior communications advisor Shiryn Sayani told Daily Hive that approximately 90 per cent of its spending on materials, supplies, and services supports Canadian businesses.
This includes Canadian-based suppliers that supply both domestic and international brands, explained Sayani.
“As for procurement decisions, we are reviewing our policies to ensure we are strategically aligned with the evolving economic landscape while maintaining a competitive procurement process that allows us to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable ferry service,” she stated.
What about food and beverage?
BC Ferries
Sayani provided further context after some passengers shared concerns online about seeing U.S.-based Starbucks Coffee being served on certain vessels.
A recent post in the British Columbia subreddit stated that BC Ferries should consider switching to a Canadian coffee supplier.
Sayani explained that Canterbury Coffee – a Canadian company – is its fleet-wide standard.
“On ships with a single food outlet, such as the Salish class, Canterbury is the only coffee served,” she stated.
She noted that Starbucks is served on vessels with multiple food outlets, “giving customers a choice.”
“Our Starbucks coffee is supplied by Nestlé and distributed within Canada through Sysco Canada, which operates a national distribution network that supports Canadian businesses,” she stated.
The food and beverage offerings onboard BC Ferries also prioritize local and Canadian suppliers and producers, including dairy, meat, and all alcoholic beverages.
BC Ferries says its Buy Canadian campaign will be implemented in its Passeges retail stores, and passengers will be able to identify which products are Canadian-made or Canadian-owned with maple leaf tags.