Saskatchewan’s efforts to promote its food products are helped by
strong loyalties for the home team, says Luanne Lashyn, executive
director of the Saskatchewan Food Processors Association.
“You cheer for your own province and your own products,” Lashyn said.
“There’s a certain amount of loyalty that Saskatchewan tends to have.”
She cited as examples local residents’ investments in small business,
support of the Saskatchewan Roughriders professional football team and
visits to provincial tourist destinations.
“Made in Saskatchewan” labels have helped consumers more easily
Read Also

First annual Ag in Motion Junior Cattle Show kicks off with a bang
Ag in Motion 2025 had its first annual junior cattle show on July 15. The show hosted more than 20…
identify and choose Saskatchewan food and products.
Lashyn said more than 80 percent of the province’s shoppers will choose
Saskatchewan products if price and quality are comparable to brands
from elsewhere.
Consumers in the province have a strong awareness of where their food
comes from, she said.
The association’s marketing campaign moves into high gear in October,
with Saskatchewan-made month promoting home-grown products through
advertising, shelf signs, bin tags and other promotions.
Lashyn said the group is working with Co-op stores and smaller
independents because they are a presence in most towns and cities.
Co-op stores were chosen for their roots in rural Saskatchewan and
strong community support.
It is much easier for small producers to get their goods into smaller
independent stores than large chains, she said.
A new website will help consumers identify Saskatchewan-made products.
It will feature a directory of Saskatchewan products, recipes, links to
other sites and contests in co-operation with retailers.
Events like the sold-out Premier food and wine-tasting show in
Saskatoon Sept. 26-28 raise the profile of local producers’ fare.
Manitoba offers similar promotions of its products through
Manitoba-made labelling.
“You need to have a visual identification program that is strong and
draws consumers’ attention on the shelf,” said Dave Shambrock of the
Manitoba Food Processors Association.
He has found coupons, in-store samples, shelf labels and product
promotion to be pivotal in selling products.
Consumers will spend only a few seconds choosing products, largely by
their packaging and support materials.
He said that’s a challenge when large chain stores offer tens of
thousands of products. Manitoba-made products have an easier time
getting into smaller stores, he said.
He said consumers prefer to buy local goods, will choose them over
others and will pay up to 15 percent more for them.
Ted Johnston, president of the Alberta Food Processors Association,
said his province’s labels have switched from “Alberta made” to “good
food prepared with pride.”
The labels market food safety and high quality, with the only link to
the province being the Alberta wild rose.
Johnston said the change occurred in response to the consolidation of
retail grocery chains. Buying is done for all Canadian Loblaws stores
in Toronto and for Safeway in California, he said.
“We evolved from “Alberta made” as the research indicated it wasn’t a
huge deciding factor, but a negative to buyers located in other
provinces.”
About 100 companies are authorized to use the labels, which Johnston
said should give consumers greater confidence in what they are buying.
“They’re not risking their consumer dollar,” he said.