Tracey Prediger
Iver Sandaker is putting on his apron to help in the kitchen at Home for Dinner.
One of his staff has called in sick, and meals still need to be made.
“We make everything, it’s mostly comfort food. Anything from shepherd’s pie, lasagna to a full turkey meal.”
Everything is made from scratch, sold fresh or frozen, and ready to reheat.
Sandaker says he’s trying his best to keep from passing on rising food costs to his customers.
“We’ve tried not to raise costs because everyone is struggling right now, and if we’re OK to make it by, then we want to make sure everyone else is OK.”
Being a community supporter is one of the criteria the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce used to name Home for Dinner Small Business of the Year. Others include success in marketing, innovation, and profitability.
Staying profitable requires more effort these days.
Keeping a close eye on prices, what’s on sale, and menu planning is key, says Sandaker.
“We plan our menus around it by making certain recipes at certain times. Right now, celery is about $150 a case where it used to be $40 a case, so we just try to make those recipes when the price comes down.”
Loyal customers not only appreciate the convenience, they like the cost – in most cases, meals from Home for Dinner are cheaper than the drive-thru.
“I remember a cheeseburger used to be like $3 back in the day, now its six, seven $10, and that’s just for one burger. We have home made meals that mom used to make. We have it all ready, it’s healthy and it’s ready to go. It’s 10 times better than what you get from fast food, and it’s just ask quick,” says Sandaker.
When asked about future growth for the business, which already boasts two locations, Sandaker says they plan to grow their online presence and increase delivery services.
