MARCH 2017 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


Island farmers get direct marketing tips Opportunities exist for local producers to reclaim market share


by BARBARA JOHNSTONE GRIMMER


PORT ALBERNI – When it comes to local food, customers want a story. Many people who


appreciate the health and environmental benefits of local food expect to see local items on restaurant menus and grocery stores. Although Vancouver Island used to produce 85% of its food, now it can only supply 5% to 10%. A panel of buyers at the Islands Agriculture Show discussed how local farmers can raise their market share. Buyers will work with


producers directly, but also source products through buying clubs, distributors, farmers’ markets, websites and word of mouth. They expect producers to meet good agricultural practice standards (GAP) and have good business practices. Above all, buyers are looking for food that is safe, wholesome, fresh and authentic. Buyers also want suppliers aligned with their own philosophies. For Bobby Lax, flavour and


local are the two ingredients he’s is looking for. Lax is the executive director of the Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild, a unique group of restaurants and residents who depend on Lax to source local food from his network of farmers, fishers and foragers who prioritize quality, value and the environment. Lax visits farms and producers to view their practices and he encourages but doesn’t currently require GAP. Tofino chefs rely on Lax to do the leg work for them. This system has served the farm and food community well. Lax encourages producers to contact him directly but he also sources local food through farm maps, the Internet and word of mouth. Restaurants prefer local to be as close as possible but will venture further for the quality and selection they want. Most restaurants who feature local food focus on seasonal offerings, says Steve Muise, the executive chef of Drinkwater Restaurant in Port Alberni. “Our goal is to give the


best presentation of local,” says Muise. Best practices are


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expected and the menu always changes, so variety is a good thing. They encourage farmers and food producers to approach them directly.


‘We Pick BC First’ Island-based Thrifty Foods


has recently expanded its local food offerings as part of its “We Pick BC First” program. Travis Shaw has 22 years of grocery experience and last year, he started to lead Thrifty’s new Local Development team. “Our goal is to get food as local as possible and look for more than one supplier. We want to tell a story and pass


the message on to the consumer,” says Shaw. Thrifty Foods requires farmers to meet the Canada GAP standard. It takes less than 48 hours to register as a supplier and farmers need to be professional, with properly labelled packaging, including UPC codes. Vancouver Island Grain is


looking for local suppliers of heritage grains and is more than willing to provide support to help make this happen. It currently sources most of its grain from the Prairies, says owner Wayne Smith. He is presently seeking locally grown organic milling-


grade oats, barley, rye and spelt. The company can also provide technical support including variety trials, seeds, planting, harvesting and grain handling systems. All profits from grain sales are reinvested back into improving the infrastructure for Vancouver Island, and to promote interest in growing and marketing locally grown grains.


Jusu Bar, a 100% organic unpasteurized juice company has found it necessary to source high-quality fresh produce as locally as possible due to the short shelf life of the product. Developing


mutually beneficial, sustainable supply partnerships is central to the success of the young but fast- growing company.


“Suppliers need to be not


only organic but also have a commitment to good agricultural practices and have an alignment of philosophy,” says Marko Viinikka, executive director and chief operations officer of Jusu Bar. The company encourages producers who meet these requirements and vision to contact them directly. “We are old-school that way,” says Viinikka.


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CELEBRATION VERNON - APRIL 1ST


ABBOTSFORD - MAR 10- 11TH


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