News Release 12-19-2002 |
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W.VA. COMPANY WINS TOP AWARD AT MIAMI FOOD SHOW Commissioner of Agriculture Gus. R. Douglass announced Thursday that one of the West Virginia agribusinesses attending “The Americas Food and Beverage Show” with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) brought back one of the event’s top awards. Blue Smoke Salsa of Ansted won the “Best Salsa, Sauce or Condiment in the Americas”out of a field of approximately three dozen entries. The award was voted on by a group of top food and trade experts, including a syndicated columnist and author, and the Peruvian Trade Commissioner in Miami, among others. Other West Virginia companies attending the Miami, Fla., show December 3-5 were Tasty Blend Foods, headquartered in Teays Valley, West Virginia Aqua, an arctic char fish farm located near Man and Wolf Creek Winery of Union. Although none of those three companies were awarded prizes, they all brought home sales contacts and new experience at marketing their products to an international audience. “The West Virginia Department of Agriculture recognizes and participates in these shows to help our West Virginia agribusinesses get a foothold in national and world markets,” said Commissioner Douglass. “Representatives from 47 Latin American and Caribbean countries attended the Miami show. Exports to this region are expected to double by 2007, and I hope that West Virginia companies are a large part of that trend.” “We participate in the shows that are most conducive to the marketing of the Mountain State’s agribusinesses. We target those shows based on what our producers need and on our producers’ capabilities,” said Jean Smith, WVDA Marketing and Development Division Director. Not every West Virginia company is ready for the trade show experience, though. “Although their products may be the best out there, some of our producers are simply unable to produce the volume needed by large buyers. Buyers at these types of shows want truckloads -- not a case or two -- and not everyone can guarantee that,” Smith said. WVDA also sponsored a reception to attract potential buyers and showcase West Virginia products as part of this year’s show. Robin Hildebrand started Blue Smoke, Inc., in 1993, in the basement of her home. Now featuring an 11-item product line, the company employs seven, and recently opened a new production facility in a restored storefront in downtown Ansted. “The award means a lot to me because the product really stood on its own. No one knew me, no one knew our label - it was just taste, texture and packaging,” said Hildebrand. “People down there asked me, ‘Salsa from West Virginia?
That’s almost a challenge to the rest of the country.’
I told them God wouldn’t have allowed all these great peppers
to be grown in West Virginia, otherwise. The best habaneras I’ve
ever seen came from here.”
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