Get a whiff of this: Canadians bottle fresh, mountain air

Saturday, August 29, 2015, 1:56 PM - An Edmonton company has found a way to bottle the crisp freshness of mountain air from a few of Canada's most famous national parks.

Specializing in bottles of oxygen, Vitality Air has also found a way to capture air from two famous Alberta landmarks, Banff and Lake Louise.

Business partners Moses Lam and Troy Paquette founded the company in November 2014 after successfully selling baggies of air on eBay.

"So when we first started we sold a bag on eBay for 99 cents," Lam said in an interview with the Calgary Herald, "and you know we got really excited and after that we actually sold another bag for $160 US so we kind of knew there was a demand for this product."

Vitality Air began shipping bottles of fresh air three months later, and online sales now average about 300 units per month. The product is also available in at least two local shops.

According to the company's website, the difference between their two products is that oxygen is a pure element, whereas air is a combination of oxygen, nitrogen and other gases.

A single three litre bottle of fresh Banff air retails for about $13 CDN plus tax and shipping, and includes about 80 inhalations.

But capturing air in a bottle isn't as easy as one might think.

The entrepreneurs both spend up to 10 hours in a given location, where they collect air using a secret method. The air is brought back to a warehouse, where it is compressed and bottled before being sold and shipped.

"We feel like the fresh, clean air is something that everyone takes for granted everyday, especially for us in North America here," Lam said.

Bottles of pure, Canadian oxygen are sold around the world, though Vitality Air tends to focus on regions whether clean air is hard to find, such as China, India and Dubai.

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Recently, wildfires burning in B.C. and Washington state have made for smoky skies on the Prairies, thrusting the benefits of Vitality Air into the local spotlight. The air quality situation may mean great business, but brains behind the product are willing to share the wealth with those most affected by summer fires and drought.

"Any bottles that we sell between now and November 30 we’d love to offer a portion of the proceeds to B.C. wildfires and the Red Cross," Lam explained.

While the bottled air claims to have no taste or smell, the creators say there is a definite a crisp quality to it, and recommend storing it in the refrigerator for a refreshing experience. 

Source: Calgary Herald

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