A Great Opportunity

L’ArcheWorx has proven to be a good little business in the Valley. The social enterprise involves people with diverse abilities working in cooperation with volunteers, and sometimes an assistant, to create products that are marketed in local stores and online. L’ArcheWorx products include candles, art cards, firestarters and one of the most popular products – soup cones.

But while they’re called soup cones, there’s a lot more going on than soup explains Carli Kennedy, L’Arche’s I Belong Centre Coordinator. “A cone contains the ingredients for an easy-to-make meal. Depending on which cone you buy it’s full of hearty bases, beans, split peas, rice, seasonings and more. Just add water, a few other simple ingredients, salt to taste and you’ve got lunch or dinner.” Carli says if you’re not a soup fan, not a problem; the cones can be used for stews and there’s also a risotto, salad topping and dessert.

And while L’ArcheWorx is well-known for its artsy candles, it’s the soup cones that people consistently buy in multiples to keep on hand in their kitchen pantry. It makes cooking a nutritious meal very quick and easy.

Growing the Operation

The sale of the L’ArcheWorx cones has grown over the 10 years that the Collective has been making them. That’s good news as it means more meaningful work for people with intellectual disabilities and more profits which are shared based on the amount of hours a person contributes. “We make more than 1,000 soup cones per year,” says Carli. “And it smells so good here on soup cone day. It makes me hungry just thinking about it!” she says with a laugh.

You can buy L’ArcheWorx Collective soup cones at L’Arche’s I Belong Centre, at local craft markets through the year, the following local businesses and online: