Food Network Canada partnership to showcase Island food

Food Network Canada partnership to showcase Island food

Prince Edward Island’s food producers are teaming together to promote Island culinary products across Canada as part of a new partnership between the Culinary Alliance and Food Network Canada.

“Prince Edward Island is a food lovers’ paradise. Through this partnership, we will showcase Prince Edward Island as a culinary destination to food lovers across the country,” said Jeff McCourt, chairman of the Culinary Alliance. “The alliance is thrilled to see so many industry groups working together to support this initiative.”

Food Network Canada in partnership with the Alliance will develop a series of advertisements highlighting Prince Edward Island’s agricultural and seafood products. Each advertisement will promote Prince Edward Island tourism and culinary products. The promotions will be supported by several industry partners, each highlighting one of the Island’s signature foods including potatoes, mussels, lobster and oysters.

“Our Government supports organizations, like the PEI Culinary Alliance, which not only support the local economy and tourism industry, but also showcase Prince Edward Island,” said the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and La Francophonie. “The partnership with the Food Network will showcase Prince Edward Island as a premier tourist destination while highlighting the amazing culinary delights the Island has to offer.”

The advertisements will air throughout the year with footage showcasing Prince Edward Island’s famous potatoes beginning this month.

“Our government is pleased to support initiatives that assist our agricultural and fisheries industries while promoting tourism on the Island,” said Tourism and Culture Minister Robert Henderson. “I’m pleased the Alliance will continue to work with Food Network Canada to explore additional ways to promote our agricultural and seafood products.”

Some of the promotions will also give viewers the opportunity to enter to win a prize package consisting of a trip for two to Prince Edward Island during the 2012 Fall Flavours Festival.

“We are so excited to be working with the other industries in Prince Edward Island. Individually it is really difficult and expensive for us to achieve projects like this, but when we pool our efforts and funds we can be successful,” said Gary Linkletter, chairman of the Prince Edward Island Potato Board. “It makes so much sense to promote Prince Edward Island products together, tying everything back to the Island.”

The Food Network partnership is supported by the Mussel Industry Council, the Prince Edward Island Potato Board, Atlantic Beef Products Inc, P.E.I. Seafood Processors, and the Prince Edward Island Culinary Alliance.

“Prince Edward Island mussels are one of the Island’s most well-known brands and we are delighted to partner with the Culinary Alliance and Food Network,” said Linda Duncan, executive director of the Mussel Industry Council. “The partnership will give consumers lots of recipes and ideas to enjoy mussels at home.”

“Our beef is as good or better than beef produced anywhere in North America,” said Mike Nabuurs president of Atlantic Beef Products Inc. “This partnership with the Food Network will go a long way to getting this message out there.”

This partnership builds on the existing relationship between the Culinary Alliance and Food Network Canada. A number of celebrity chefs from some of the network’s most popular programs hosted signature events during the 2011 Fall Flavours Festival, creating unique dishes from Island products.

The Prince Edward Island Culinary Alliance is a partnership between the Prince Edward Island departments of Tourism and Culture, Innovation and Advanced Learning, Agriculture and Forestry, Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development, as well as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and industry representatives. The Alliance was created to develop innovative food industry partnerships, culinary experiences and promotional programs.

Jan Holmes, Prince Edward Island Culinary Alliance, T:(902) 368-6208 E-Mail: jvholmes@gov.pe.ca.

Katie MacNevin, ACOA PEI & Tourism, (902) 626-2878