Small food makers pitch for home team

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Published: October 3, 2002

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

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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.

About the author

Karen Morrison

Saskatoon newsroom

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