a family farm still operated by her father and mother. She left the farm as a young adult and came to Canada to attend university but soon after arriving she started to work on the business idea of importing cacao beans from her family farm and making craft chocolate ingredients here.

Ayissi attended university in Quebec and relocated to BC after graduation, where Ayissi had other family. She continued to work on her business idea and she formed the company, Emkao Foods. Ayissi worked with the UBC Entrepreneur Incubator and she also work with a BC Agri-Food Accelerator who helped her find a location in Mission and directed her to Community Futures to help with funding her start-up.

This business start-up has been a learning experience for Ayissi, as a businesswoman and as a chocolatier. She earned her designation as a Professional Chocolatier through the Ecole Chocolate in Vancouver which gave her a deeper understanding of the recipes and how to work with the chocolate ingredients to create specific textures and flavours.
Turning cacao beans into chocolate ingredients is a multi-stage process that requires many pieces of equipment to produce Emkao’s flagship products: chocolate chips, cocoa powder and cocoa butter. Acquiring the equipment and setting up a food processing business has been a long path for Ayissi, and this past March she had a “Grand Opening” to officially open her doors for business. Emkao chocolate ingredients are available as a wholesale product for local chocolatiers and bakers.

Emkao Foods fulfils a dream the Nyemba family had for many years, to have a single supply chain from farm to market. EMKAO Foods is Canada’s first single source, traceable, sustainable, chocolate products made from organic cacao beans.

Visit her website to learn more: www.emkaofoods.com

This Editorial sponsored by Community Futures North Fraser

When you look at Tammie’s artwork, the first thing you notice will be the bold and vibrant colours. Although it is a static piece of art, there is a dynamic sense of movement and a power in the brushstrokes and lines that will move you and leave you wondering who the artist is behind the painting.

Tammie Samuel was born in Chilliwack but grew up quickly and experienced life early on when she left home at the age of fifteen. She has been calling Mission home for over 20 years now.

She took a brief art course which introduced her to the basics, but it didn't satisfy her creative desires. She eventually ended up teaching herself. She would describe her artwork as Abstract Expressionism, an art style that comes from a very personal and emotional place within. 

Her inspiration comes from everything around her and is an expression of how things impact her emotionally. Her work is what here motions look like when they are expressed using colour and action. She works mostly with large scale canvas because she wants the viewer to feel embraced by the experience of the painting.

One of her more recent pieces "WildRoses" is very expressive and vocal (above). Abstract art can be challenging for some viewers because our minds have to work harder to figure out what we're looking at. There is also the psychology behind art. Art, especially abstract, evokes something within us even if we don't realize it. 

It was Tammie’s dream to turn her love for painting and home decor into something more. In 2019, she started Knellwolf Artworks, named after her father. 

Not only did she want to share her artwork with the world, but also use her artwork to give back to her community. She started with the Mission Hospice Society, a place of precious moments and raw emotions. In January 2021, Tammie decided to start a "Program of Giving" where proceeds from her artwork will go to a charity of choice every month.  You can view and purchase her artwork on her Facebook Page or her website www.knellwolfgallery.com.

Tammie believes that “creating art in any form is therapeutic and healthy for those creating and for those viewing".

12 Months of Giving Program
Proceeds from all her art sales will go to the organization or the month.

January - MY House
February - SARA Transition Housing
March - MCSS Starfish Pack
April - SARA PEACE Program
May - MCSS Food Centre
June - SARA Stop the ViolenceI
July - Mission Hospice Society
August - S.A.I.N.T.S. Animal Rescue
September - Recovery Through Art
October - MCSS Meals on Wheels
November - MCSS Seniors Connection 
​December - MCSS Christmas Bureau