The Manitoba government plans to spend $742,000 to encourage consumers to buy provincially produced food. Buy Manitoba is part of a five year effort.
The province has teamed up with the Manitoba Food Processors Association for the campaign, which began with a survey of Manitoba shoppers.
A Buy Manitoba survey found consumers wanted to buy locally produced food because they thought it benefited the provincial economy and believed local food was fresher and healthier than alternative products.
However, survey participants also said that they didn’t know which foods were made in Manitoba.
“Manitoba shoppers surveyed have told us they would prefer to purchase Manitoba products,” said provincial agriculture minister Stan Struthers.
“We are pleased to work with the Manitoba Food Processors Association to help make Manitoba products easier to identify.”
Details of Buy Manitoba have not been released but the focus of the initiative will be a branding campaign to help local food stand out in the minds of consumers and on grocery store shelves.