Products Take Center Stage in Richmond, B.C.’s “Flavours of PH”

VANCOUVER 10 May 2018 – A week-long in-store promotion of Philippine products at the PriceSmart Foods in Richmond, B.C. held on 27 April – 03 May 2018  Dubbed, “Flavours of the Philippines,” the event was jointly undertaken by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver, the Trade Section of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto and the Department of Tourism – San Francisco, in partnership with PriceSmart Foods, Philippine Airlines and three of the biggest Canadian importers of Philippine products – AFOD Ltd., APO Products Ltd.-UNO Foods Inc., and Corinthian Distributors Ltd.

With objectives to increase consumer level awareness and appreciation for Philippine food products and contribute in raising the popularity of Philippine cuisine along the levels enjoyed by other internationally accepted Asian cuisine, the event highlighted the various PH products carried by the supermarket through pallet displays, special promotional discounts and food tasting stations. A showcase of Philippine cultural performances, videos and brochures of tourist destinations, and a spin-a-wheel game with prizes, against a fiesta backdrop, completed the Philippine experience and helped draw customers to the store.

In his welcome address at the opening program on 28 April, Consul General Neil Ferrer said, “With over 830,000 Filipinos in Canada, according to the latest Census figures, the Filipinos now constitute a “visible minority” within the country.  We would like to see that visibility translate to the shelves of the supermarkets, the menus of restaurants and the tables of Canadian homes.”

B.C. Minister of State for Trade George Chow, who was the guest of honor, said that, “It is perfect to bring in different goods to Metro Vancouver where there is a mosaic of various cultures and people.” He added that British Columbia is putting a lot of emphasis on agri-food and selling it across the border to the U.S., China, Japan and Korea but thinks that the future also lies with ASEAN nations and looks forward to working with the Philippines on two-way trade in the agri-food business.

Other speakers at the event were Mr. Allan Coo, PAL Country Manager for the U.S. and Canada, Mr. Paul Cope, Save On Foods B.C. General Manager, and Senior Trade Commissioner Maria Roseni Alvero of the Trade Section of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto.  Invited guests for the opening program included the ASEAN Consuls General, PriceSmart Foods management, Philippine Canada Trade Council board of directors, and friends from the Filipino community and the media.  The program ended with dance performances by the Philippine Cultural Arts Society, one of which was the Tinikling wherein some of the VIPs gamely participated before they were brought around the store to visit the food tasting stations.

Also on display were the sample products of 14 Philippine small and medium exporters who comprised the Philippine food mission to SIAL Canada, a food and beverage trade show held in Montreal on 2-4 May. The delegation was in Vancouver for business meetings arranged for them by the Trade Facilitation Office Canada, a non-profit organization through which the Canadian government is helping SMEs develop into exporters and enter the Canadian market. Senior Trade Commissioner Alvero and Director Senen Perlada of the DTI-Export Marketing Bureau headed the delegation.

Around 800 people visited the Philippine booth during the 3-day weekend to sign up for the DOT mailing list and a chance to win a round-trip ticket to the Philippines provided by PAL.

The event was successful in drawing customers to the store and increasing the sale of Philippine products during the weekend. This is the first time that an in-store promotion activity was done in Canada. END

For more information, visit www.vancouverpcg.dfa.gov.ph/ www.vancouverpcg.org/ https://www.facebook.com/PHinVancouver

Consul General Neil Ferrer expresses the hope that the promotion of Philippine food products would lead to greater understanding between the Filipinos and Canadians.

Hon. George Chow, BC Minister of State for Trade says that BC is looking for two-way trade in the agri-food business between Canada and the Philippines.

Ambassador Petronila Garcia poses with Mama Sita staff