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WORK WITH US
Meaningful work rooted in nature, respect for the land, and good food.
Founded in 2015 by the passionate duo Benjamin Patarin and Célia Auclair, Forest for Dinner is a testament to a dream of reconnecting people with wild, foraged foods. Operating from the heart of Vancouver Island’s wilderness, we specialize in the harvesting, processing, and selling of wild foods. Our mission extends beyond our products: we aim to educate, inspire, and cultivate a deep appreciation for our natural world, rooted in respect for the environment and social justice.
Let’s join our team! Explore current job openings.
– Marketing and Retail Coordinator –
Food and Beverage
Location: Qualicum Beach, BC (brick and mortar store)
Type: Full-time, 35–40 hours/week | Employee (3-month probation period)
Compensation: $24–$30/hour, depending on experience
Perks: Performance bonuses (fixed commission per new prospect + annual net sales bonus), complimentary foraging tours, and a staff discount on our full product line
Reports to: Managing Partner (Célia Auclair)
Start Date: Immediately
Applications reviewed: We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis
NOC: 11202 – Marketing Coordinator
Location: Qualicum Beach, BC (brick and mortar store)
Type: Full-time, 35–40 hours/week | Employee (3-month probation period)
Compensation: $24–$30/hour, depending on experience
Perks: Performance bonuses (fixed commission per new prospect + annual net sales bonus), complimentary foraging tours, and a staff discount on our full product line
Reports to: Managing Partner (Célia Auclair)
Start Date: Immediately
Applications reviewed: We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis
About the Role
This is a hybrid marketing and retail role. At Forest for Dinner, the person building our brand online is the same person helping to sell frozen wild berries on the shop floor. You’ll work directly alongside our Managing Partner, Célia Auclair, leading the day-to-day retail experience at our Qualicum Beach shop while managing our social media presence, email marketing, and online store during quieter moments.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys variety, autonomy, and hands-on work, and who feels genuinely connected to wild food, Vancouver Island’s nature, and storytelling.
If you are curious about food systems, creative by nature, and enjoy small business driven by values and ethics, we want to hear from you!
Key Responsibilities
Social Media & Content Creation – 25%
- Create and publish engaging content across social media
- Plan and maintain a consistent posting schedule
- Use Canva for graphics and visual content creation
- Capture photos and short videos in-store and in the field (photo and video editing skills a strong asset)
- Monitor engagement and respond to comments and messages in a manner that reflects our brand voice and upholds a high standard of customer service
Email Marketing & CRM – 15%
- Manage and grow our email newsletter list
- Draft and send monthly newsletters to our customer community
- Maintain customer data and segmentation in Brevo
- Build automations to support customer retention and engagement
Wholesale & B2B Outreach – 10%
- Support outreach to potential wholesale partners and retailers carrying our product line
- Maintain a professional LinkedIn presence on behalf of Forest for Dinner
- Assist in preparing material for wholesale buyers when needed
Online Store Management – 5%
- Keep product listings, inventory, and promotions up to date on our online shop
- Coordinate with the production team on product availability
- Monitor online sales and flag opportunities to improve the customer experience
Retail Floor Operations – 45%
- Educate customers about our products, wild ingredients, and foraging practices (training provided)
- Provide an exceptional, knowledgeable customer experience on the shop floor
- Handle sales transactions using Square POS
- Manage inventory and restocking using Square’s inventory management tools
- Maintain a clean, organized, and welcoming shop environment
- Take initiative in daily operations (open/close, displays, stock rotation)
Education & Experience Requirements
- Post-secondary education in marketing, business, communications, or equivalent practical experience
- 3–5 years of experience (or related experience) in marketing and/or retail (or a customer-facing environment)
- Proven experience in marketing execution, including social media management, content creation, and email campaigns
- Strong working knowledge of content tools such as Canva and social media scheduling platforms
- Proficiency with retail POS systems (e.g., Square or similar retail management system) and day-to-day store operations
- Familiarity with CMS platforms (e.g., WordPress.org) and basic website updates
Assets
- Experience with CRM and email marketing tools (e.g., Brevo or similar)
- E-commerce management experience (WordPress.org)
- Photography, videography, or video editing skills
- Exposure to B2B sales, partnerships, or wholesale outreach
Competencies & Values
- Genuine passion for wild food, foraging, nature, and local food systems
- Experience working in a small or mission-driven business environment
- Self-directed, proactive, and comfortable taking ownership
- Excellent communication skills, both in person and in writing
- Organized, reliable, and detail-oriented
- Aligned with the company’s values: care for the land, ethical harvesting and community education
Working Conditions
- Full-time employee status, with a 3-month probationary period
- On-site at our Qualicum Beach retail shop (primary location)
- Standard retail hours including occasional evenings and weekends
- Occasional travel may be required for markets and events (e.g., Filberg Festival, Circle Craft, trade show)
- Physical tasks include standing for extended periods, lifting to 30 lbs, and setting up displays
How to apply?
If you feel drawn to the world of wild foods and want to be part of a small team that works with care, purpose, and connection to the land, we’d truly love to hear from you. Please send your resume and a short cover letter to info@forestfordinner.ca sharing a bit about yourself and why this role caught your eye.
We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis. Candidates selected for further consideration will be invited to a first interview. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to a second, more in-depth interview. The role will remain open until we find the right fit.
Forest for Dinner is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, including, but not limited to, women, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and individuals from 2SLGBTQIA+ and other equity-deserving communities.
Our Core Values
High Quality + Hard Work
High quality is our signature. We carefully select only the very best wild foods and work hard to deliver the perfect products, each and every time.
Ethical + Trustworthy
Our ultimate aim is to be fair, loyal, and respectful toward our clients, our partners, and above all, the natural world.
Authenticity + Enthusiasm
We’re a small business working with local products. Being authentic and transparent is more than just words—we live it every day. We want to share our knowledge about plants and foraging with future generations.
Harmony + Balance
We work in rhythm with nature, foraging responsibly to sustain both the land and our communities. Through mindful stewardship, we deepen the connection between people, food, and place.
ABOUT OUR COMPANY
About the Brand
Forest for Dinner is a small, values-driven wild food company rooted in a deep connection to the land and the ecosystems of Vancouver Island. We create small-batch, wild-foraged products from herbal teas made with wild botanicals, to jams and jellies made with wild berries to pickled fungi. We share the world of wild foods through education, community partnerships, and now, a brand-new retail store in Qualicum Beach (opening summer 2026).
About the store
Our brick-and-mortar will be a curated destination for wild food lovers: our own Forest for Dinner product line, fresh and frozen wild ingredients, foraging gear, field guides, and carefully selected goods from like-minded producers. We’re building something special, and we need the right person to help us bring it to life. The concept is unique and has no equivalent anywhere in BC!
Our Team
Benjamin Patarin
Co-Founder | CEO
“I’ve always been an avid forager. When I was two years old, I collected wild blueberries in the French Alps with my mother. Since then, everywhere I’ve been, I can’t help putting my hands on every edible fruit, plant, or mushroom I find.
After completing my master’s degree in agroforestry, I focused on wild edible food and Western Canada’s wild edible mushrooms in particular. Combined with a passion for cooking, I created my dream job with Forest for Dinner. We hope you love eating the delicacies we find in the forest as much as we enjoy picking them!”
Célia Auclair
Co-Founder | Managing Partner
“Coming from the French Alps, every summer we would harvest delicious and juicy myrtilles (wild mountain huckleberries). Those childhood memories resonate deeply in me now, as I pass on this knowledge to my own children and teach them how to forage wild delicacies in the forests and mountains of Vancouver Island.
With my bachelor’s degree in business administration in Quebec, I soon understood that business could be carried out in many ways. Forest for Dinner is a perfect combination of my love of nature, the Canadian wilderness, and my desire to run my own business. Now my office is in the wild, and my work feels in line with my values of preserving the ecosystem, educating people about ways we can do that, and transmitting food knowledge to future generations.”
The Foragers
Every year, we team up with many foragers from all over. They all share a passion for wild food, no matter their diverse backgrounds and origins. We feel honoured to partner with harvesters who share our core values. We offer a safe, respectful and inclusive work environment and invite all our collaborators to do the same.
If you’re interested in working and collaborating with us, please get in touch!
If you’re interested in working and collaborating with us, please get in touch!