The Government of British Columbia is launching the EAT DRINK LOCAL campaign to showcase local creativity and skill with products, flavors, and all things related to food and drink.
The campaign designed by the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association (BCRFA) will be a month-long celebration of local B.C. food and beverages from land and sea.
Among other things, EAT DRINK LOCAL will offer families, casual and fine dining restaurants, cafes, pubs, hotels and catering companies in B.C. with the opportunity to enter a contest whereby their products could end up being promoted online by the BCRFA.
All interested families or businesses will have to do is develop and submit a special fresh sheet. Details regarding this process can be found here.
According to a news release by the Government of B.C., the program will also create a website whereby it’s easier for British Columbians to seek out information on all things related to local food and drink.
“The EAT DRINK LOCAL program will... promote local foods through a website that will serve as a hub for all things related to eating and drinking local,” read a news release from the B.C. Government. “The site will include restaurant and chef profiles, trends, timetables and tips on the wide range of local ingredients being harvested and served in B.C. and a searchable directory by region and city of where to eat and drink local.”
The Ministry of Agriculture is investing close to $225,000 into EAT DRINK LOCAL.
The program is expected to increase the demand and sales of local foods in restaurants, build consumer awareness about the quality and range of B.C. foods, as well as help residents and tourists identify where to get their hands on local flavors.
"B.C. restaurants are one of the reasons people are excited about living and visiting here,” said Norm Letnick, Minister of Agriculture and MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country. “The EAT DRINK LOCAL program will help continue to build on the connections and passion British Columbians have for foods, and help locals and tourists alike identify and enjoy local foods and beverages."
B.C.'s agri-food and seafood sector set a record of $13 billion in revenue in 2015. In the process, the sector added 6,800 new jobs to the workforce and brought the total number to 63,000 British Columbians working in the agri-food and seafood sector.
