Travelling While Vegan: CandyLabs & Squish Candies
I hadn't planned on visiting Candy Labs during the trip. I didn't even know it existed! I was heading to another place to shoot when I saw an adorable soft piggie toy in the window and I wanted to go inside and get it. I had no idea that it was a candy shop until I unfocused on the toy for a few moments and looked around. A sweet shop. I thought that was great, but knew I'd have to be checking labels for nutritional information and ingredients. I was surprised to see all three items that I picked out were all vegan! Excited, I made my purchase of sweets along and I got my piggie as a present. The shop is lined with containers of sweets, some in tubes, some in boxes and some in resealable plastic bags. The shop features cute little plushies of rabbits, piggies and even Pikachu! I basically was exploding with softness as I went into the shop. It's so clean and bright. The girl behind the counter was friendly, explaining the different types of sweets they offer, gift boxes and more. I saw they had some Pokemon sweets which instantly reminded me of a friend from work. I knew we could have a good time with them, so I grabbed a tube of those. They're little strawberry kiwi hard candies that feature Pokeballs in the centre of them! I had a mega need to have something mocha and when I saw they had a vegan mocha coated sweet, I knew I needed it. I wanted to get one more thing to balance everything out, something else I could share; that's when I noticed the adorable little sushi candies. (not real sushi obviously) My sweets selected, I headed up to the till where the girl behind the counter gave me a card and some free samples, telling me to enjoy. I dunno why, but it just felt good. I was treated so nice, it really boosted my mood. I didn't have any nasty thoughts. I bounced out of the shop, my wallet a little lighter (what broke the bank that trip was my piggie) but with a song in my heart.I had no idea that shop was vegan until later on when I googled them off the card I was given in the free sample by the cute little girl behind the counter. They're not just vegan at CandyLabs, they're also gluten and nut free! You can check out the shop or order products from them via the links below. The site is available in English and French.
I knew it was inside the shopping centre, I just wasn't sure where. So much has changed down here since I'd been 14 years ago. It was fun retracing some of the places that I had gone as a kid, seeing what's changed not only geographically, but emotionally for me. I know I'm not the same kid who visited there over a decade before. I walk in and I'm instantly greeted by a tall woman called Chloe. I explain to her that I'm doing a blog on vegan restaurants, snacks and sweets in select Canadian cities and I'd love to talk to her about the vegan products if she doesn't mind. She glows with pride and enthusiasm. She brings me over to the vegan sweet wall and tells me that I'm free to film and take pictures. (I had a lot more pictures, but my phone got stolen the next day and I still don't have it back yet.) I'm eager and excited. The store itself is white but brilliantly coloured bags, in every colour and colour combo imaginable gleam out at me. It's all so happy. She tells me which ones are her favourites and even lets me try a few samples before I make a purchase. She has me sold as soon as she says the dinosaur vegan sours are her favourite. (Insert the is this love meme) She's right. They're mint. She gives me another one that's shaped like a piece of fruit. It's got a slight tingle to it, they're both good. We talk about the various options and how Squish is proud to have a vegan/vegetarian line. We talk travel and books as I look around the shop. I'm on a budget and I already know that I want the dinosaur sour gummies. I browse the wall and see one that reminds me of Puffnstuff. I Love You To The Moon & Back Gummies. I nearly knock the shelf down grabbing them. She asks me if there's anything else; I could literally buy the entire wall to try them all, but I exercise self-control. She hands me a card and lets me know that I can always order online if I like things. I already have an idea of what I want to try next. I tuck the sweets deep in my bag, excited how things went. I want to eat them all or at least try the second bag that I got, but I had some photography to do and a tattoo appointment to get to.I waited to root around through my sweets until I got home. Now my little piggie, who I've named Pudgely sits on my headboard, his little softs dangling down. He reminds me of happy memories, something I'm wanting to focus on more these days. I might take him on one of my other trips, we'll see. Sadly, I think you'll have to visit the shop in Montreal to be able to get one of your own little Pudgely piggies.
I love the sweet crunch of the Candy Labs sweets and also how you can suck on them, getting a flavour infusion every few seconds. I'm thinking I need to order some others for presents...and some for myself. I love the gummies, as you chew them little flavour crystals of sweet and sour collide, the ones I had were two different flavours but were rich and fruity.
Let's rate the sweets
Candy Labs 4.5 sweets out of 5
Squish Candies 5 squishes out of 5
All in all, it was a really positive experience trying out their candies. Sometimes with testing things out, they don't go as planned; like they look better than they are.
With Squish Candies, you can order from within Canada or from the USA!
Photos: (1-2 Candy Labs, Photo 3 Squish Candies)
CHECK OUT THEIR SITES BELOW
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