A puppy may just be the most common re quest that kids ask their parents for, except on Richmond pre-teen w as told she needed to earn her own mone for one -- and she did just that.
Isabelle Chen, 11, a Manoah Steves elementary student, was doing small chores around the house to save up for a puppy when one day the idea of selling her family jam recipe as a fundraiser came to mind.
"My dad and I were making our coconut jam and then I suddenly had the idea to sell the jam since it was delicious and one of my favourite jams," said Chen, adding the recipe was passed down from her grandmother.
The jam, said Chen, is a blend of coconut and pandan -- a fragrant tropical leaf often used for flavouring in South Asian cuisine.
Chen raised about $2,000 since starting her jam business in 2019 and was finally able to get the puppy she wanted -- a 17-week-old miniature Schnauzer by the name of Odis.
While her goal of getting a puppy has been achieved, her business has grown even more.
Chen's jam has been featured in several Metro Vancouver bakeries including Beta5 Chocolates, L'Opera Patisserie, which has since closed, and Bakery State in Vancouver.
"I want to one day have my jam sold in businesses, at grocery stores and even used in ice cream," said Chen.
"I would like my jam to become really popular."
Chen's jams are being sold from her website here.
