2 2 SPRING 2020 FOOD & DRINKInspired by Bea Johnson’s book Zero Waste Home, Valerie
Leloup plunged headfi rst into the zero-waste lifestyle. The
challenges were immediately apparent.
“Grocery shopping was really diffi cult,” she says.
“I was going to fi ve or six places. Bringing my own con-
tainers, I always had to explain and negotiate. It was very
cumbersome.”
She saw an opportunity to open a zero-waste grocery
store in Ottawa, and partnered with Sia Veeramani, a fellow
zero-waster who was independently working on a similar
business plan. The duo opened Nu (nugrocery.com) in 2017,
where everything from nuts to vinegar—even toothpaste—
is sold by bulk. Customers bring their own containers or
borrow them from the store and weigh them at a tare
station before fi lling up.
The store also makes a concerted eff ort to reduce
waste on the supply side.
“We do packaging exchanges with every supplier in a
radius of 30 kilometres,” says Leloup. “Honey, maple syrup,
cleaning supplies come in a pail, and we return the empty
pail.”
Nu has been such a big hit that Leloup and Veeramani
opened a second location in the Old Ottawa East neigh-
bourhood late last year. As for people interested in the
zero-waste lifestyle, Leloup recommends starting slowly.
“My Number One tip is to go step-by-step. You don’t
have to do it all at once. Use what you have fi rst then switch.”What are some of the
ways you use up fi sh
and seafood scraps
at your shops?
There are the obvious
ones like making
stocks and soups. We
also use scraps for
burgers, fi sh cakes and
pâtés, or just marinate
them and use them in
a stir-fry or salad for
a staff meal.What are some
ways that people
can make the most
of their seafood
at home?
Freeze shrimp shells
and save them for
stock or add them to
existing fi sh stock for
more fl avour. Fry up
fi sh skins separately
and break up over
a salad or reserve
for pets.You often see
salmon heads sold
for next to nothing
at fi sh counters.
What can people
do with them?
Save for stock, or roast
separately—fi sh heads
contain a tonne of
delicious meat in the
collar, cheeks, every
nook and cranny. So
great if you’re a picker
like me.Any other tips on
minimizing seafood
waste at home?
It’s best to buy smaller
quantities more often
rather than buying for
the week. Store live
shellfi sh (mussels,
clams, etc.) in a bowl
covered with a damp
cloth. Store fi sh at
the back of the fridge
where it is coldest.Everything
but the scales
HEAD TO TAILKristin Donovan, co-owner of
Hooked (hookedinc.ca) — a mini
chain of sustainable fi shmongers
in Toronto and Halifax— shares her
tips on minimizing seafood waste
at home.Other Zero-Waste Stores
Zero Waste Bulk (zerowastebulk.com), Waterloo
Unboxed Market (unboxedmarket.com), Toronto
Refi llery District (refi llerydistrict.ca), OrilliaINSIDE SCOOP
Bulking up
SMART SHOPPINGThe love child of bulk stores
and natural food shops,
zero-waste grocery stores are
popping up across the province.
Bring your own containers,
eliminate packaging and keep
the planet happy.NU IMAGES BY ERIC STOLPMAN; FISH © SIGMA1850/ADOBE STOCK