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Next round of applications for Buy BC funding now open

October 27, 2021  By B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries


Food and beverage producers and processors in the province can now apply for the next round of Buy BC funding to help make it easier for British Columbians to identify and choose products that are made in B.C.

“The Buy BC program is helping businesses all over the province grow awareness, increase sales and reach new markets within B.C.,” said Lana Popham, minister of agriculture, food and fisheries, in a press release. “British Columbians know when they see the Buy BC logo, they can trust the high-quality product is from a local B.C. community and they are supporting their neighbour and the people dedicated to supplying local food and beverages to consumers in B.C.”

Buy BC is a province-wide marketing program focused on building greater consumer awareness, and demand and sales of local agriculture, food and beverage products. It is supported by several components, including Buy BC logo licensing, cost-shared funding for industry-led Buy BC marketing activities, retail partnerships, promotional activities and events, and a comprehensive marketing campaign.

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Since the program was relaunched in 2018, more than 240 industry-led marketing projects have received Buy BC cost-shared funding, and more than 625 B.C. companies have been licensed to use the Buy BC logo.

“The Buy BC program allows our marketing ideas to go further than if we were funding them through our annual budget alone,” said Joe Falk, general manager, Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry, which received funding from Buy BC. “It enables us to advertise with larger media outlets, to secure the local talent we need to get our message across, and to reach customers within our own province who are as passionate about local food as we are. The recognizability of the Buy BC logo gives credence to our work and what we stand for.”

Delta’s BCfresh also received Buy BC funding, which it used to launch and market its new BCfresh Berries brand this summer. The company also used the funding for digital and print ads promoting its Warba potatoes this past spring and is currently promoting its BCfresh Field to Fork campaign that highlights local farms and B.C.’s fall harvest.

“The Buy BC program continues to be an important tool to help educate customers about where their food is grown,” said Brian Faulkner, vice-president of business development and marketing, BCfresh. “We prominently display the logo on many of our retail packages and proudly seal every bag with a BCfresh/Buy BC Kwik Lok closure so consumers can quickly see they are buying something grown in B.C. on local family farms.”

The Buy BC Partnership Program is providing $2 million this year to help eligible applicants with their marketing efforts using the Buy BC logo on their products or promotional materials to help consumers easily identify their product as a B.C. product.

Businesses can apply for Buy BC funding from Oct. 26 until Nov. 18. The Province’s Buy BC Partnership Program is delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia.


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