Foodland Ontario: promoting the depth, breadth and variety of Ontario foods.

Building Awareness and Demand

The Foodland Ontario program drives consumer demand and interest in all Ontario foods. Through various marketing activities, the program encourages consumers to be aware of the breadth, depth and variety of the fresh food Ontario has to offer. It also encourages consumers to purchase those foods in grocery stores, farmers' markets, on-farm markets and restaurants across the province.

The program includes an advertising campaign designed to increase interest in and demand for fresh, high-quality Ontario foods through advertisements on television, transit, the Internet, bill-boards and the radio.

Ontario's principal grocery shoppers: the person identified as the principal grocery shopper in each household with primary or shared responsibility for food shopping.

• Adults age 24-54.
• Made up of about 70% women and 30% men.
• 92% recognition of the Foodland Ontario logo by Ontario's principal grocery shoppers.
• 84% support the program.

Gaining consumers' insights into their purchasing decisions has been an integral part of the Foodland Ontario program. Through this research, Foodland Ontario better understands how Ontario consumers select food and the role point of origin plays in purchase decisions.

• Foodland Ontario's December 2010 study involved over 1,900 Internet interviews with members of our target audience.
• It was conducted in 13 representative Ontario communities with populations of not less than approximately 100,000 in December 2010.
• This is the fifth year that Foodland Ontario has conducted this Internet-style research with a large sample of Ontario principal grocery shoppers.

• Home economists representing Foodland Ontario appeared 174 times on television and radio stations across the province promoting Ontario foods and providing seasonal tips and recipes.
• Foodland Ontario's Public Relations program maintained 650 food media contacts.
• An audience of 8.4 million was reached through print and television campaigns.

With over 350 logo agreements with Ontario food producers, the Foodland Ontario logo is now visible across the entire retail store. The logo is also assisting the marketing efforts of Ontario producers and processors to capture new key niche markets, such as food for health (e.g. Gray Ridge "Healthy Natural Choice" vitamin-enhanced eggs).

The Foodland Ontario program was promoted at events such as Canada's Outdoor Farm Show, the International Plowing Match and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Foodland Ontario also ran a Retail Sampling Program in the fall of 2010, which included over 130 grocery stores. Recipes were tailored to stores to match product availability. This initiative reached an estimated 450,000 consumers.

The Foodland Ontario program distributes a wide variety of resources including posters, calendars, recipe books, recipe cards, nutrition guides and availability guides. These resources are used to connect with consumers and to promote the good things that grow in Ontario. In 2010-11, the Foodland Ontario program distributed over 500,000 copies of calendars and recipe books in retail stores, farmers' markets and on-farm markets.

Fruits and vegetables in season:

Harvest Ontario's "What's In Season" and Foodland Ontario's "Availability Guide" provide information on what fruits and vegetables are available.