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During the first week of the COVID-19 crisis, when the market plunged and we all realized the scale of the pandemic, I was scared and stressed since I didn’t know what was going to happen to Evive. Would we still be relevant in these changing times?

I couldn’t tell our team and partners that it would all be fine, I had no idea, but the only thing I knew for sure is that the market would change, and we must too.

In a message I sent to the team on the second day of the crisis, I made the analogy that our boat (Evive) was entering a storm, and to get through it afloat and stronger, we (the crew) would have to change course faster than ever before.

In a storm, you work for your survival, but we soon realized that it would not be our case.

We were fortunate enough to be considered an essential service and the demand was increasing for online food delivery. It was a true relief. To tackle growth instead of survival is a blessing, but it comes with its own set of challenges.

At the same time that our online demand was surging, our logistics partner who packs and ships all our orders had a surprise for us.

‘’In 2 weeks from now, we won’t be packing your boxes”, they told us over the phone.

We were in a conundrum.

We started calling every person we knew in the industry, but despite days and days of research and meetings, it looked like we wouldn’t find a new partner in time for the transition. In 4 days, thousands of clients would be expecting their boxes and we still had no solutions. The stress level was high.

Running short on options, Harrison, our Director of Operations, thought of one of his neighbours who he heard had a food business. That’s all he knew of him.

Coincidentally, there was an actual storm outside that day. With his computer clenched under his arm and an empty Evive box in his other hand, Harrison walked under the heavy rain to his neighbour’s porch. He was soaked from the rain and doubtful of his attempt.

‘’How desperate does this look?! Am I really going door to door to find a production partner?’’, he thought.

But still, he knocked.

Luck answers to those who give it their best shot because a symbolic handshake later, they started planning. We were able to deliver all the boxes on time the following weeks, bringing Evive’s bright colours of wellness to thousands of homes across Canada.

Usually, launching a new partnership like this one takes 2-3 months from my experience. You must put the digital system in place, train new teams, establish quality control, build the packing line, etc. They did all that successfully in just 4 days.

Seeing the whole company and our new partner come together to make the impossible happen makes me feel so proud of being part of this team and even more gratified, as we all work towards a mission that matters – bringing more wellness to everyday life.

It’s true that a bit of rain made us grow.