For nearly two years, Tsawwassen-based business L’Aromas has quietly supported students at Delview Secondary by donating surplus baked goods—helping ensure that students have access to delicious food throughout the school day.
Leah Hughes, a school counsellor at Delview Secondary, who lives in Tsawwassen and is a regular L’Aromas customer, first sparked the connection. “One day while I was in L’Aromas, I asked one of the team, Jenny, what they did with the leftover food,” Hughes shared. “Jenny immediately offered to donate it to the school.”
Each week, Leah collects generous quantities of scones, muffins, and croissants—often filling two or three large bags.
As part of a sustainable practice, day-old items are gathered daily from L’Aromas locations— SkyCafe at Boundary Bay Airport, Southlands in Tsawwassen, and Terra Nova in Richmond—and transported back to the company’s headquarters, L’Aromas Bakehouse. There, they are frozen and stored until Leah picks them up and are then made available at Delview for students to help themselves.
“Our school is incredibly grateful for L’Aromas’ generosity,” Leah said. “Their support has created the most wonderful connection between our school and a local Delta business.”
For Jenny Fechter, Director at L’Aromas, giving back has always been central to the business’s mission. “Everything we do, we try to consider how we can support our community,” she said. “We are interconnected with the community and want to be part of people’s everyday lives. If we can do something to help our community, we will.”
In addition to supporting students, L’Aromas contributes food and beverages to community organizations, including Delta’s winter shelters during periods of extreme weather.
The team is not seeking recognition, Jenny emphasized. “We simply hope to encourage others to find ways to give back to their community. It doesn’t have to be a big financial contribution – small, consistent actions can make a meaningful difference.”
L’Aromas’ owner Eric Murphy echoed that sentiment. “In the food business, there are always leftovers as the market is unpredictable from day to day,” Eric said. “We wanted to ensure that what we couldn’t sell could still serve a meaningful purpose and make a difference in someone’s life.”
Eric noted that while the company previously used apps that act as a marketplace for unused food, partnering directly with a school felt like a more impactful way to support the community.
“When Leah reached out, we jumped at the opportunity. Making the food available for students felt like the right fit,” he said. “It aligned with who we are.”
That sense of purpose has guided L’Aromas since its beginnings. Eric transitioned from a career in IT in search of a more community-centered path. He started roasting coffee in his garage. Alongside Jenny and another friend named Craig, the trio built the business from the ground up—pouring coffee at markets, swim meets and other community events, before eventually opening a café in July 2015.
“I wanted to create a special place where people gather to grab a coffee and catch up. This community has given us so much – without it, we wouldn’t be here – so it’s important for us to give back in return,” shared Eric.
Today, L’Aromas continues to grow while staying rooted in its core values of connection, quality, and community.
“We’ve always believed it’s less about production and more about people,” Eric said. “We want to make a positive impact in people’s lives, not just through the food and coffee we serve but by supporting the community through fundraisers, sponsorships and events that strengthen our neighbourhoods. Helping people in need is important to my heart.”
Looking ahead, Eric hopes to expand the business further, including a North Delta location one day, while continuing to deepen the company’s community impact. “Helping people in need is important to the entire team at L’Aromas. We often say ‘made from scratch, made with love, and give back with love.’ We see this community as family, and giving back is simply part of who we are.”
Thank to you the entire team at L’Aromas for your kindness and generosity in supporting Delta students and the broader community.
This article also appeared in the North Delta Reporter on May 28.
