Small Business Profile: Cilantro & Chive

Rieley Kay started Cilantro Catering in 2009, doing functions for family and friends. It was always part of their plan to expand into a restaurant as well as catering. An opportunity in Ponoka sped up this part of the plan exponentially.
The first restaurant was in Ponoka. It opened in February 2012, with 5 employees. But within a couple of years the building was sold and Cilantro and Chive’s lease came to an end. Unable to find another suitable location in Ponoka, December 15 2015 they moved to their current location in Lacombe. In the past, this spot has been a bus depot, a bike shop, a train store, antique shop and a general store.
Cilantro and Chive now have 50 staff, and average 3000 customers a month. This large number of guests has not slowed down the catering side of the business. They continue to cater 3 out of 4 weeks per month on average.
Being a huge community supporter, Rieley supports the local hockey team Lacombe Generals, by donating $10 for every goal scored at home games. This money goes to the local food bank. The last cheque was written for $1,000.
Cilantro and Chive supports education on all levels. Lacombe’s high school has an eco-vision program and they supply Cilantro and Chive with herbs including: cilantro, mint and soon basil if they can produce enough volume. Also, Cilantro and Chive’s honey comes from the local high schools bee keepers program.
During the 2017 reading week Rieley was invited to a local kindergarten class to read a book on hamburgers. From that came a new Dream Burger to Cilantro and Chive’s menu based off of the kindergarten students ideas. This started a new fundraising tradition for Cilantro and Chive. The Dream Burger program offers local community members a chance to create a unique hamburger. February 2018 saw the 13^th Dream Burger on the menu, $2 from each burger sold is donated to the creator’s charity of choice. Over $20,000 has been raised for local charities.
Now, open 7 days a week, Cilantro and Chive offers plenty of time for you to check them out.  As we at Storage Group Alberta are very big on supporting our communities, it has become our staffs’ favorite place to hang out and support all the good this business does for our community.
SGA is also happy to help Cilantro and Chive with their renovations. Cilantro and Chive rent a portable storage unit while they renovate the down stairs office portion of their building. Parked out the back side of their business this temporary storage is there when they need it.
You can stop by at 5021 50 St, Lacombe.
Follow them on FB https://www.facebook.com/cilantroandchive/
Twitter at https://twitter.com/cilantro_chive
Instagram at  https://instagram.com/cilantro_chive
— Sue Sage