The Pulse: July 12, 2022

Truffle, which makes cloud-based software for restaurants, has raised a $2.3-million seed round to grow its team and expand across Canada.

The round was led by Accelerate Fund III, with participation from Sprout Fund and Birchcliff Partners.

"We want to take this as far as we can," founder Omer Choudhary told Taproot. "I really wanted to prove the product in the market, get a customer base, show that I could sell it, and once we did that, I said now it's time to go get funding."

The company, which launched just weeks before the pandemic shut things down in early 2020, helps restaurants digitize their operations with tools for managing pickup orders, interfacing with delivery systems, and supporting front-of-house operations. In the past two years, Truffle has onboarded more than 500 customers across the country, including Edmonton's Northern Chicken, Prime Time Donair, and Mikado.

"Our goal is to focus on local first and that's how we grew organically — the local businesses helped us achieve where we're at," Choudhary said.

Truffle's niche is quick-service, independent businesses that are looking to grow to two or more locations but aren't gigantic chains. Such restaurants have continued to experience rapid growth even during the pandemic, and they're lacking solutions to manage expansion on that scale, Choudhary said.

"The other stuff that's out there is super-expensive, has been designed for businesses that are 500+ locations, and it's just overkill for what the restaurant needs," he said.

That said, Truffle can support larger businesses, and the company is working to make inroads into that segment of the market as well. Arden Tse, investment manager for Accelerate Fund III, said Truffle has the team and product to support that ambition.

"That's one of the things that attracted us to (the deal), obviously he's able to sell," Tse said. "There's a need being fulfilled."

Truffle plans to use the funds to roughly double its team to about 25 people by the end of the year, with most of the new hires located in Edmonton.

"I really think that from a tech perspective, there's a lot of talent here. From an affordability perspective, a lot of people are now coming into our region," Choudhary said. "I think our next phase of growth is going to happen locally."

• The Edmonton Police Commission announced on July 11 that it has decided to seek "an external independent third party with a strong legal background" to help review the circumstances that led to the arrival of Justin Bone, the man accused of fatally beating two men in Chinatown in May. The review will also look at applicable Edmonton Police Service policies and will assess how and when police interacted with Bone. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi tweeted that he was glad to see the review. "By working with a qualified professional to conduct this review, the EPC provides the oversight that Edmontonians are asking for," he said.
• The Edmonton Police Service has hired a third-party investigator to look into workplace harassment claims in its recruit training section. Spokesperson Cheryl Voordenhout told Postmedia that one officer "has been moved to a different position within the service while these allegations are investigated." EPS recruitment numbers are currently at their lowest in a decade, with 410 applicants in 2021, less than half the 2002 figure.
• The temperature in Edmonton had reached 25°C just twice by July 10 this year, the fewest number of warm summer days since 1996, reports Edmonton weather nerdery. The temperature hit 27°C on July 11 and is expected to surpass 30°C today.
• EPCOR has turned off the power for about 200 Edmontonians since April 15 when the provincial winter disconnection ban ended. Load limiters which restrict usage are allowed year-round, and EPCOR said approximately 1,300 were installed on Edmonton homes as of mid-April this year. "Disconnection is always a last resort and is never entered into until we've exhausted all other attempts at resolving outstanding balances," the company said in a statement.
• Another 10,000 free tickets to the Pope's mass at Commonwealth Stadium were claimed in less than ten minutes after being released on July 11. The third round of tickets will be made available on July 18. Organizers have warned of scalped and counterfeit tickets selling for up to $200.
• The city installed protected bike lanes along Victoria Promenade in Oliver over the weekend, keeping the two-bike-lane design and removing street parking. The pilot project, located between 116 Street and 121 Street, will be reviewed in the fall.
• Evander Kane's agent said the Edmonton Oilers gave the winger permission to speak with other teams but said he is "still hopeful to have a deal in place with Edmonton." General Manager Ken Holland said last month he hopes to re-sign Kane but was unsure how his ongoing grievance with the San Jose Sharks would impact the deal.
• While hosting his last Calgary Stampede pancake breakfast on July 11, Premier Jason Kenney declared Sept. 1 to be Alberta Day. The day will recognize the province's founding with the Alberta Act in 1905 and is not a stat holiday.

Coffee roaster Sorellina Coffee will be opening a café called Sorellina Brew Bar in late July. Italian for "little sister", Sorellina is an apt name given the company grew from owner Lynsey Hayes's start at her brother's business.

"I had been working for my brother Andrew at Roasti Coffee in Sherwood Park as his green coffee buyer for a few years," Hayes told Taproot. "In late 2020 I decided it was time to build a coffee company of my own. My goal was and is still to highlight the work of coffee producers with small farms and unique varietals."

Hayes set up shop at Roasti and began by selling coffee at a local makers' market. She soon added an online shop with free local delivery, selling beans with retail partners such as Meuwly's and Cafe Rista, as well as supplying café clients in the city and beyond.

"You can drink Sorellina Coffee at Awn Kitchen, RGE RD, and The Art of Cake, and on rotation at Farrow Sandwich shops in Edmonton," said Hayes. "Some of the best multi-roaster cafés in the country also serve Sorellina Coffee on a rotating basis, from Small Victory in Vancouver, to Cortado Tasting Room in Nova Scotia."

Hayes said she had always envisioned a brick-and-mortar café where she could share her coffees with people. A space in the 124 Street area fell through last year, so she put her plans on hold until her brother approached her with an alternative.

"This spring, he made the decision to really focus on his wholesale clients and his home base roastery in Sherwood Park, so he offered me his Whyte Avenue café," said Hayes. "I was excited! It's a great location with so much potential. Secretly, though, I think he just wanted his office back at the roastery."