Vancouver's Northern Bars turn Nanaimo bars into a culinary art
France has macarons, and now Canada has an artful version of the classic triple-layer treat made by Michelle Avelena and Samuel Hartono
Northern Bars.
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO deny the deliciousness of a Nanaimo bar. With a top layer of chocolate ganache, a middle section of creamy yellow custard, and a coconut-Graham-wafer crust, it’s a triple-threat of a dessert. Now, there’s a new version of the bake-sale staple that’s akin to an art form with the entry of Northern Bars onto the market.
Samuel Hartono and Michelle Avelena are the Indonesian-born Vancouver-based business and life partners behind the venture. They were introduced by a mutual friend and bonded over their love of food and travel. Avelena recalls experiencing the quintessential Canadian treat after moving to the West Coast in 2016. No wonder it’s so popular, she thought.
“One of the first things that I did when I first arrived in Vancouver many years ago was look for something local, something unique, something very special,” Avelena tells Stir. “I remember having my first Nanaimo Bar when I sat down in a Waves Coffee and had a cup of Canadiano with it. That was quite a moment. I have a sweet tooth, and whenever we visit various cafés, I like to sample different Nanaimo bars. Whenever our family or friends visit, I always recommend they buy one. They're not always easy to find. There are many bakeries in Vancouver, but not many have Nanaimo bars.
“I think we all love something that reminds us of home or childhood memories,” she adds. “For many Canadians, Nanaimo bars are their first home dessert. I remember watching Schitt's Creek and the character Jocelyn brought a tray of Nanaimo Bars to the Roses’. That's how normal it is. I've had so many people tell me that it's one of their favourite childhood memories: making Nanaimo bars with their mom or grandmother. And we love the name! It feels very Canadian. It feels very much like our own.”
Avelena came up with the idea to create a new kind of Nanaimo bar after years at her previous job representing a Canadian company at destination events, a role that involved a lot of travel. It was typical for her to bring gifts for clients. She would select chocolates or maybe maple syrup.
“I wanted to bring something they could share on the spot that also feels like ‘you can only get this in Canada,’” Avelena says. “I love food souvenirs generally, and so I realized that there was an exciting gap there. Why don’t we give something as unique as a Nanaimo bar?
“I brought the idea to Sam, and he was really into it,” she adds. “He was in a career change, too. He had always wanted to work in food and had quit his day job to work as an apprentice baker in a chain bakery. We started exploring the idea. Then we thought about many places around the world where you can buy truly local confectionaries to gift, from French macarons in Paris to various cream cakes in Japan.”
Samuel Hartono (right) and Michelle Avelena.
Northern Bars are bite-sized, adorned with modern maple-leaf design. Made on Granville Island, especially for gifting and travelling, they’re packaged in a pretty box the colour of golden buttercream covered in an illustration by Vancouver designer David Arias that features iconic local sights like the Lions Gate Bidge, North Shore mountains, Sea to Sky Gondola, and Harbour Centre, along with boats bobbing in the waves and so many trees. The no-bake squares are made with premium ingredients, including pure butter and tempered Belgian dark chocolate.
Northern Bars has a booth at Granville Island Public Market and works with retailers including Sea to Sky Gondola and Vancouver Aquarium. The company also partners with Makers, which supports local artisans and has stores in Gastown, Metrotown, Guildford, and North Vancouver.
Northern Bars.
Soon launching is a box of assorted Northern Bars flavours, with three new Canadian themes: Saskatoon Berry Lemon, Smokey Maple, and Apple Cinnamon.
Avelena and Hartono are proof that a passion project can become an artistic focus and pursuit.
“When we think about Northern Bars, I always view it as an emotional product,” she says. “It’s an artform, 100 percent. It had to be a product that you're proud and happy to gift to someone else; you'd want to evoke a feeling of surprise, awe, and ‘Wow, they really care about me!'” We also want it to be an experience… When people look at the illustrations, they think about their lovely experience in Vancouver. It’s a conversation starter.”
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