Unless you live as a hermit, it's impossible to miss the advertising campaign "Food of Quebec: the right choice! "This campaign seems to be working, since, according to a report by the Conference Board of Canada published in 2013, 29% of the total food production in Quebec is consumed by Quebecers, situating the province first. How is it so popular?



Several factors could explain this craze. For starters, the Slow Food movement, which took root in Italy in 1986, has among its objectives the promotion of local food. Thereafter, food crises such as mad cow 1996 have undermined consumer confidence and later raised the issue of traceability of food products. Moreover, in the era of globalization, local producers must increase their efforts to maintain their competitiveness against foreign competition. Following the Summit of Quebec agriculture, which took place in 1992, the Quebec government is implementing the food Pathway Quebec. In 1996, the same die will create the body Aliments du Québec.


Claudia Charuest, coordinator communications, advertising and events for Aliments du Québec, is the tendency for local food around 2009, while the logo of the organization becomes more present. Citing the reasons for Quebecers to buy local, she says: "There are those who buy local for economic reasons, to reinvest in the Quebec economy. There are those who buy local for greener reasons. There are [buying] for social reasons, to support jobs. I think it's a bit everyone to have his reason to buy Quebec. "

 


In 2012, a study by the Bombardier Chair in Brand Management from the University of Sherbrooke and the UMR Markets, Organizations, Institutions and Operators' Strategies (UMR MOISA) in Montpellier (France) showed that Food label Quebec found itself at the forefront as the best brand equity. This means that more Quebecers recognize this logo when it comes to choosing a local food. However, if Aliments du Québec contributed to a recognition of local food products, this trend has existed long as Odette Chaput, Executive Director of Earth and flavors:


"In time, there were public markets and we were interested in local and regional products, but we can say that the last ten years, there really has a clear progression. You really feel the passion for local and regional products. People do not do that just buy them, they go to the sources, they go to the producers and make the experience of going there as to better understand the products and make them their own. "


According to a study by the Association of Public Procurement for Québec conducted in 2008, an estimated 65 the number of alleged procurement operating in Québec. Among them, 65% of them are under ten years of operation. In 2014, the number of active members is 89, confirming the trend for public and local food markets.


Yet public markets are not the only beneficiaries of the wave of local products. Florent Gravel, President and CEO of the Association of Food Retailers Quebec addresses the promotion operated by major distributors:


"We saw an announcement that Metro had pilot projects in some areas with local artisans in various products. We see her with Provigo Provigo banner Market or when modifying a Loblaws store Provigo Market. We saw IGA revive cheeses when we had the problem [listeriosis]. I think companies are more and more effort to highlight local products. "


However, the share of consumption of local products by Quebecers still low. "In what is produced in Quebec by Quebec products is reflected in the attitude of consumers - so it can come from the grocery store that hotel or restaurant - it is estimated that approximately 33%, "said Annie Tessier, marketing officer for the UPA.


What is there to do? Our stakeholders have proposed different solutions, to more awareness among consumers in a specific agreement between producers and distributors. Side Aliments du Québec, the organization has launched a pilot project which aims to be a recognition program for restaurants to put forward Quebec food in June. As the tourist season winds down, is that this project has had a good start, both among producers in restaurants? This is what we will see in the next sections.