For almost five years, multigenerational members of the Card family have been ladling out an amazing array of soups to loyal customers at the Barrie Farmers Market. Now, with the grand opening of their store front location at 130 Saunders Road in Barrie, SoupHerb Soups is about to blast into the stratosphere, bringing their fantastic selection of soups, chili’s and chowders to even more satisfied customers!
Paula Card was raised in a Portuguese family, nourished on real food; one branch of her family tree was dairy farmers, the other grew veggies. Boxed and packaged food were unknown, KD were but initials. Along the way as if by osmosis, Paula learnt the value of healthy eating, healthy living and how to pick a ripe watermelon. Fast forward to a relaxing dinner with her husband Michael, a glass or two of wine sipped, a bowl of tomato tortellini soup supped. As Paula tells the story; their appreciation for the flavours in the soup may have been the seed of inspiration, or perhaps it was the wine. In a moment of post digestive contemplation, Michael burst forth the following statement. “We should sell this, and we should call it soupherb, this is brilliant, we should do this”.
They stayed up into the wee hours creating their business plan. Familial talents were pooled together, cherished recipes old and new chosen, “SoupHerb Soups” was launched and has been a fixture at the Barrie Farmers Market for almost five years.
Last year in a divide and conquer maneuver, they added the Collingwood Farmers Market to the mix with father in law, Mike Card assuring that the soup is on in that neighbourhood.
This is a family that works well together, making sure that their superb SoupHerb Soups is selling where the customers want it to be!
At the new SoupHerb Soups production facility they are operating a state of the art kitchen with amazing induction burners; they have zero emissions, a minimal carbon footprint, no exhaust vapors and use a third of the energy consumption of traditional cooking sources.
Honestly with the shiny silver pots filled with soupy goodness, it just looks and smells great there! Freezers are filled to the brim, a take-out counter for lunches was deemed a necessity when local business folk had noses pressed to the windows with hungry curiosity, requesting warm bowls to go.
Let’s talk flavours, about forty when I tried counting from the blackboard list. Some of my faves include Apple Parsnip and Brie, Spicy Thai Chicken, Carrot Ginger, and of course the Tomato Tortellini that started it all off.
This is really good soup; I confess that I consider myself rather a soup connoisseur, or as Paula affectionately calls her customers, “Soup Snobs”.
Dietary needs; they have a soup for you including Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Lactose, Paleo, Low Sodium, Diabetic Friendly.
With mother in law Pam Card as organizational and operations person in the kitchen, having run a successful deli for many years, they have a wealth of expertise in-house.
Local suppliers are sourced for their ingredients, local business supports SoupHerb Soups. Our own MacLaren Gallery serves SoupHerb Soups!
Also on the menu are some amazing chickpea flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, try them frozen, seriously these cookies are a treat! SoupHerb Soups also makes a very tasty granola.
“Commitment to the quality of yesterday, with the convenience of today” is their motto but I think more fitting perhaps is Paula’s humorous references to a certain Seinfeld episode.
Whatever she may say, this is not the Seinfeld Soup Kitchen, and be assured, there is soup for you! By the way, she may be tiny, but like that certain TV show character, you don’t mess with the soup girl. Paula Card has a veritable wealth of experience in numerous fields; as a Certified Personal Trainer, a Physio Therapy Assistant and a Registered Massage Therapist, additionally this woman is a fully trained Muay Thai Fighter.
When Paula Card tells you to “Now Eat”!!! She means it.
SoupHerb Soups
130 Saunders Road, Unit 2
Barrie ON L4N 9A8
Phone: 705-309-0729 or 705-718-7426
This review was originally posted on Simcoe Dining in June 2014.
Edited and updated on July 28, 2015.
Copyright 2015 YYZtech Group Media Ltd. Used with permission.
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