Canada Brand now boasts 500 members

Ottawa, Ont. – Canada Brand, a strategy to promote Canadian food and beverage products around the world, has registered its 500^th member.

The free Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada program offers food and beverage manufacturers branding tools and advice to help differentiate their products in both the domestic and export markets by identifying them as Canadian-made.

“Canada’s agriculture and food products are known the world over for their superb quality and taste, so it only makes sense that Canadian companies use the Canada Brand initiative to their full marketing advantage,” says Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “Research has shown that when Canadian consumers can clearly identify a product as being Canadian, they are more likely to buy it, which is good for producers and good for our economy.”

Free marketing tools

Some of the marketing tools available for companies under the strategy include use of the program’s red maple leaf symbol and tagline “Quality is in our nature”; access to a professional-quality food and agriculture photo bank; market research; templates and graphics for marketing and promotional material; and an assigned branding officer to help with all marketing efforts.

Canada Brand members comprise a wide range of food and beverage businesses, both large and small, from across the country. The 500^th company to sign onto the initiative is Regina, Sask.-based Koko Pâtisserie owned by Kirby and Marcie Punshon. The pair decided to join Canada Brand after seeing the branding on in-store promotions, as well as on products at trade shows.

For more information about Canada Brand visit http://www.marquecanadabrand.agr.gc.ca/