Nut allergies threatened her life. She flipped the narrative and launched a business
Jenna White's severe nut allergy is no match for her resilience and determination to succeed
When Jenna White developed a severe nut allergy in 2017, it changed her life — and in more ways than one.
The allergy caused anaphylaxis, and left her legally blind.
It also, however, inspired her to create a business that is now thriving in Fredericton, with nut-free recipes that are being served in her restaurant, Jenna's Nut-Free Dessertery, and products that are on grocery store shelves across Atlantic Canada.
"I tried to take those challenges and create them into strengths. So I built a business around one of those challenges, which is the nut allergy," she said.
Now serving customers in house and through takeout, Jenna's Nut-free Dessertery had a modest start.
"I started at the farmers market. I started with two small folding tables and $250," she said in an interview.
Cooking at first from her kitchen, she made nut-free muffins, cookies and cupcakes that she could sell weekly at the popular Boyce Farmers Market.
A stay-at-home mom for the first 13 years of her marriage, White said she needed to show resilience to her three children, whom she often raised alone while her husband worked outside the province.
"It took me a couple of years to come to terms with all the life changes," she said.
From darkness to delights
Starting the business was a way for White to regain independence while providing a nut-free alternative for customers with nut allergies.
"Creating my own business, I was able to create the work environment I needed to be able to succeed," she said.
But thanks to the encouragement and support from her clients in Fredericton, Jenna was able to move her business from a booth to a restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch.
Her restaurant gradually became a sanctuary for those with nut allergies, where they could enjoy meals and treats without fear of cross-contamination or hidden allergens.
She then opened a second location with the same nut-free focus.
Thriving against the odds
Born to a Métis family in Ontario, White was raised in a small Mennonite community there before her family moved to New Brunswick when she was nine.
She has developed strong ties to Indigenous communities in New Brunswick, and is proud that one of her products – Bannock Mix — is now sold in multiple Sobeys supermarkets across Atlantic Canada.
She said having such products having more visibility in new spaces is significant.
"I created a baking mix to help share that bit of my culture with people," she said of the mix, which can be made right in the bag with oil and water, and cooked outdoors if desired. She said bannock, a staple in many Indigenous communities, can be made into many forms, including tea biscuits, pizza, cinnamon buns or bread to be eaten while camping.
Giving back to the community
White organizes the the Taste of the Atlantic Festival to foster collaboration and support within Indigenous communities in the region, and brings together chefs from across Turtle Island.
In her own restaurant, White has hired people without professional cooking experience, and provides them with skills to work in the business.
Victoria Polchies, a member of Woodstock First Nation, said she always wanted to work for a female-led kitchen.
"I can feel the passion and the love and the food," said Polchies, who has been working with White for about two months.
"It's wonderful to be represented."
Developing skills, for White, is part of building community.
"All of these people who come in and work with me, their hours count towards their Red Seal," she said, referring to an industry certification standard.
"It creates even more opportunities for people in the future."
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