Vancouver-based artisan pickle purveyors Kaylin & Hobbs opened its first U.S. shop at The Original Farmers Market last weekend. We stopped by on Saturday for a taste and a chat with co-owner Scott Kaylin. He and his partner, Chris Hobbs, were on hand greeting and serving guests during the weekend.
Kaylin, a native New Yorker, told the Buzz he struggled to find a decent pickle when he moved to Vancouver. Then he met Chris Hobbs, a Toronto native, and the two bonded over a shared struggle to find good New York-style pickles on the West Coast. Like anyone in search of a good pickle, they decided to make their own and start a company!
Kaylin was in the clothing business and knew a thing or two about marketing. So once they found a third-generation pickle briner in New York who could execute their perfect pickles, they were off and running. When they launched their first Kaylin & Hobbs shop in 2017, at the acclaimed Granville Island Public Market in Vancouver, they sold 14,000 pickles in the first six days.
“We found a product that crosses over every boundary,” explained Kaylin. “Everyone eats pickles!”
The next year they opened another shop at Lonsdale Quay Market. They also distribute to 38 grocery stores and more than 40 restaurants across Canada. Kaylin told us they like retail locations where lots of people live and shop regularly, and the iconic Original Farmers Market certainly fits the bill. It also helps that Kaylin now lives in the neighborhood.
The shop is modeled after old-school Lower East Side delis. The shop serves pickles right out of the pails, and is set up bar-style, allowing visitors to sample various flavors. Their pickles range from vinegar brined to fermented varieties.
Here is a list of the flavors offered this weekend:
Kosher Dill
Mustard
Horseradish
Jalapeño
Spicy Dill
Bread n’ Butter
Honey Mustard
Full Sour*
*The Full Sour pickles are fermented in small batches and are expected to sell out quickly.
While they sell most of their products in convenient but bad of the earth plastic containers, they will soon offer a “growler,” a glass jar you can refill when your run out of pickles. Now that seems like a perfect solution to the “single-use plastics” pickle!
