We had the pleasure of sitting down with Jeanette Posine, owner and creator of The Bannock Lady in Thunder Bay. It’s the restaurant where she shares her traditional Indigenous family recipes passed down from generations. Having only opened in 2021, The Bannock Lady has already become a well-known eatery, thanks to Jeanette’s famous Bannock Burger — a quarter-pound hand-pressed patty seared to perfection, smothered in a rich tomato sauce, and served on her own special version of traditional Indigenous Bannock (or fried bread). She also got a little help from her friends at Skip. Here’s how she used the platform to promote her business and get in the game.
Serving up Indigenous favourites with a side of promo.
Back 20 years ago, Jeanette attended the Folklore Festival in Thunder Bay. After realizing there were no Aboriginal foods available, she began selling her delicious dishes out of a tent at the festival. With business booming and people making the trek just for her famous burger, she knew she had the right stuff to open up her own place. And so, The Bannock Lady was born.
How did Jeanette get the word out to people about her new location? She joined the Skip network and tapped into the power of promotions. From free items to free delivery to bundle offers to contests, there are all kinds of ways you can use Skip promotions to help boost business. “We gave our customers a bonus if they ordered at the store or pre-ordered through Skip,” says Jeanette. And that has worked wonders at helping her get customers through the door. So, how can you offer your current and new customers a little something extra? Activate your promo of choice on the Portal using these simple steps:
- Sign into the Partner Portal as you normally would.
- Click “Promotions” from the side menu.
- Pick your promo, for example, “Free Item” or “Free Delivery” then click select “Promotion”.
- On the “Create” screen, review the promotion details, and click the checkbox to view the promotion’s terms and conditions.
- Click “Create” and promo away.
All the right ingredients to build a successful business.
When you become a Skip partner, you’re treated like a partner from day one. That’s why everyone gets a dedicated Territory Manager, whether you’re a big franchise or a small mom-and-pop shop. Not only are they your main point of contact to help you reach your business goals, they can help you overcome any challenges you may come across through the process. “What’s great about our Skip Territory Manager is that whenever challenges do arise, they’re just a phone call away and they’re ready to help us at any point in time. We haven’t had any issues, but we know they’re there to support us if we do,” Jeanette says.
These days, you can find The Bannock Lady at her restaurant in Thunder Bay’s Intercity Shopping Centre, or in her new food truck selling her tasty goods at various events, including National Indigenous Peoples Day. As for Skip, we live to help businesses serve their communities as best they can. And we’re happy to say, partners like The Bannock Lady aren’t just surviving, they’re thriving. As Jeanette says, “Skip has given an opportunity for the non-Aboriginal community to try our food. The feedback’s been very positive.”
