showcase its favourites, along with dabbling with new creations here and there. “We have gone from one table in the first year (of the expo) to expanding it to two tables last year and it was really well received,”said Oseen, adding vegetable cheese fritters and turtle cheesecake were favourites with the expanded tables.“Something like this is huge. In Lethbridge, there are so many restaurants and the pie gets smaller every time with each new one.This gets you noticed. Every time you get your name out or someone sees you, it helps.” It also brings back memories.There’s people who


with their direct market one time a year,”said Meilleur. “And we have designed it so they can do it at a cost where they come close to breaking even or very little cost compared to other things they can do marketing wise. So we are trying to create something that really works for them, so it’s a no brainer.We are not trying to do the big-ticket numbers that you might see at other shows.We are trying to make it affordable and have it make sense.” Liquor companies have used the expo to launch new


fresh brands, where had they not used the show, the casual consumer may not have sampled their product for another six to eight months.There are microbrew- eries, vineyards and distilleries represented at the expo that are local, national and international. “We are always finding something new at this show,


be it food or liquor. It’s a sneak peek,”said Meilleur.“You can try this right away and see if you like it. Even the pickiest of eaters and drinkers will find something here. Every year things change. For food, you have your Kegs and your big chains, right down to the smallest of inde- pendent vendors here.Some of them don’t even have brick-and-mortar restaurants, they do the farmer’s mar-


kets and the food trucks. Everyone is on the same play- ing field for a day.” The last few years, the Alberta Food and Beverage Expo has been partnered up with the Lethbridge Firefighter Charity Association to go along with a 50/50 draw. “Any where from $4,000 to $10,000 has been raised


for the fire department and it stays with local chari- ties,”said Meilleur. A long-time vendor at the food and beverage expo,


Streatside Eatery has seen the foot traffic increase exponentially in successive years where 7,000 people were expected to be attending 2019’s Lethbridge show earlier this year. “We get a lot of positive feedback every year from


the event,seeing an age demographic from 18 to 65. You are not going to get that immediate coverage from say a radio ad or newspaper ad. It’s a broad range of customers that we reach,”said Steve Oseen,owner of Streatside Eatery since 2010, having worked at the establishment since 1994. Being in the Lethbridge community for over 30 years with loyal clientele, Streatside Eatery likes to


went to Streatside, where now they are bringing their kids and the expo brings back those memories. This event is a lot of fun, as a restaurateur, you live for that intense, really busy few hours.” Another long-term vendor at the expo has been


Highwood Distillers out of High River.Shows like Lethbridge’s helps get the product out to con- sumers who might of otherwise been neglected as some concentrate on the larger urban areas. Fourty- six years in the business out of High River, Highwood Distillers makes over 340 hard alcohol products. “For us, it’s about communicating directly with the


public. Letting people know we are a local Alberta company,we are Alberta owned and operated,” said Andy Volstad,who does key accounts and licensees for Highwood Distillers, doing 13 trade shows a year in which Lethbridge is one of them.“It’s getting out to the outer communities that are really neglected indus- try wise, rep wise, show wise, advertising wise. I can tell you,and I know most of the reps at this show, it’s our favourite show. It’s one day, it’s really busy and you connect with a lot of people. It’s a good atmosphere, it’s a relaxed atmosphere, you connect with a large amount of the community in one day and then they do word of mouth.


■ Continued on Page 24


Great


Prices!


Great Food!


We do Catering • Various fl avours of hard ice cream


• New 16 inch Pizza! Limited time only! • Deliver to your home • Field meals to farmers


403-654-2067 424 2nd Ave N, Vauxhall


Every day Specials! Ivy's Boutique www.ivysboutique.com insight magazine june 2019 - 23


JEWELLERY Parasols BOOTS Clothing SHADES Bags


Be festival ready this summer!


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32