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TUKTOYAKTUK - For most Northerners, fruits and vegetables are expensive things that sit in the bottom of their refrigerators - but not for Tuktoyaktuk resident Numa Emaghok. Fruits and vegetables are his bread and butter.

Emaghok works in the produce department at Stanton's store in Tuktoyaktuk.

He has been on the job for eight months now and he says he loves every minute of it.

This is not his first foray into the grocery business. Emaghok's first job in the 1960s was at the Hudson's Bay Store.

But when the oil boom hit the North in the 1970s Emaghok left the store to work in industry.

After the boom went bust he worked odd jobs until about eight years ago, when he suffered an aneurysm which left him unable to work for several years.

Now he is making a comeback at Stanton's.

Emaghok said his job is to handle and wrap all the produce that comes in.

He said he doesn't place the orders but his boss will often come to him for input on what to order.

"If I see something that is attractive or in season I'll let him know," he said.

The quality and quantity of fruit available has really changed from back in the 1960s when Emaghok was working at The Bay store.

"There's so many types of fruit these days, and it's from all over the world."

He said he was surprised recently when an order of oranges came in from Indonesia in perfect shape.

"That is a long way for it to come," he said.

Emaghok said the new job has influenced his diet a bit. He has been trying and buying more fruits and vegetables, although he still prefers local food: fish, caribou and geese.

"Frozen fish with a bit of whale oil - mmm," he said with a laugh.

Although he likes eating country foods, Emaghok said he hasn't had a lot of time to get out hunting since starting the job.

He still goes out on the occasional weekend. But he said he doesn't miss it too much when he is kept busy at the back of the store.

"I enjoy working for Stanton's," said Emaghok.