Lesley Stowe Fine Foods’ products are now available in more than 4,000 stores across Canada and the United States

 Following successful expansion in the US and widespread availability in more than 4,000 stores across North America, Lesley Stowe, the creator of Raincoast Crisps, is adding a new addition to her specialty foods product family with today’s launch of Raincoast Cookies—a new line of all-natural, gourmet cookies.

What began as a small Vancouver catering business 25 years ago, Lesley Stowe Fine Foods has grown into a team of 60 employees with unprecedented 20 per cent year-over-year growth.

Like the signature Raincoast Crisps, the new cookies are available in a variety of flavours packed with all-natural ingredients including chicory root, flax seed and chia, and are fully manufactured and distributed from the company’s 20,000-square-foot facility in Richmond, BC.

“We built Lesley Stowe Fine Foods on the guiding principle of never compromising the quality of the ingredients or the integrity of the brand,” says Lesley Stowe, founder and CEO. “Our Raincoast Cookies stay true to that promise—they are baked in small batches with only the finest ingredients. It took us a couple years to bring them to market, but we think it was worth the wait.”

Available in three varieties—Apricot Ginger and Slivered Almond, Cranberry Hazelnut, and Chocolate Cherry Pecan to start—Raincoast Cookies are sold at fine food retailers throughout BC, including Urban Fare, and will be coming soon to Whole Foods Market. They are high in fibre and protein, and provide a healthier alternative to other snack foods on the market.

“More than ever, consumers are looking for great-tasting, well-balanced snacks to accommodate their busy lifestyles, which is why we created the Raincoast Cookie,” says Stowe. “We are very fortunate to have a strong and loyal customer base that continues to grow, and this has allowed us to expand across North America and now offer this delicious new product line.”

The Raincoast Cookie will initially be distributed in BC and then rolled out more broadly across Alberta and Ontario by the end of the 2011. More product information is available at LesleyStowe.com.

About Lesley Stowe

Lesley Stowe is a Parisian-trained chef who began her catering company 25 years ago in Vancouver. A culinary pioneer, Lesley helped to develop and refine the palettes of Vancouverites with her specialty fine foods store. The store’s success, combined with Lesley’s ability to predict and capitalize on food trends, resulted in the creation of Raincoast Crisps – a revolutionary snack food beyond compare. Also the author of her own cookbook, the Lesley Stowe Fine Foods Cookbook, Lesley is a regular contributor to other popular cookbooks including The Girls Who Dish series.