It’s made with love. It involves a labour of love in a place where people promote a healthy and active lifestyle.
The quaint Love’s Curated Market is located inside the GymZone gymnastics training facility, at 1311 Gemmell St. in New Sudbury.
Open to the public, it’s a space for athletes and outsiders to come taste healthy eating on the fly.
Alexandra Larocque is the owner and operator of GymZone, Love’s Curated Market and the entire community hub at 1311 Gemmell, which used to house a Catholic school many moons ago.
“We recognize we need to fuel people’s bodies properly with nutrient-dense food,” Larocque said. “We want food that is packed with a lot of good-for-you ingredients while eliminating or reducing the bad-for-you foods.”
In a facility that sees 1,000 athletes visit per week, Larocque was tired of kids and teens munching on fast food before, between and after classes, especially when families have layovers between training sessions.
“It made sense to offer healthy food in-house so they could eat the way we would want them to,” she said.
Larocque said many families now purchase a gift card for their athlete when they are dropped off, alone and have hunger pangs.
“We also recognize that during 14-week training blocks, we need to be creative with the menu so no one gets bored with the offerings,” she said.
The smoothies are made with real fruits and vegetables and no fake juices. There is chilli, soup often made by Stock and Broth, chili and a selection of sandwiches like the Veggie Grille, which combines the standard grilled cheese with vegetables.
Other snacks include yogurt chia seed puddings, bean salads, pretty pink beet muffins and frozen yogurt made in-house with their own yogurt bricks and more.
Larocque said she curated the recipes herself alongside GymZone owner and coach Lisa Kivinen with the mission to sneak vegetables into almost everything.
“I have a three-and-a-half-year-old daughter and every Wednesday after her gymnastics practice, she is excited about eating at the market,” Larocque said. “These foods are toddler approved.”
Pre-pandemic, the market used to run under the name The Green Beam. It’s also now available on Uber Eats.
Larocque works with a group of staff to ensure ordering, food preparation and staffing runs smoothly.
She said even the coaches with a passion for food and who believe in the power of healthy eating, are contributing to the Love’s Curated Market kitchen. Larocque has an extensive background in physical education and health promotion, and with health and wellness in the corporate world.
Her goals for 2025 are to ensure the market continues to evolve and is even more parent- and member-driven.
In March, the building will also welcome 138 daycare spots meaning a larger community will utilize the hub and market, and she’s excited to see the opportunity that brings.
Love’s Curated Market is located in the GymZone community hub, 1311 Gemmell St. in New Sudbury.
The operating hours fluctuate during the week and it's open longer on Saturdays. More detailed hours are available on Uber Eats.
You can also follow it on Facebook and Instagram.
Anastasia Rioux is a writer in Greater Sudbury. Let’s Eat! is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.