Taste Real Local Food

Do you want to connect with other local growers, producers and retailers in Guelph-Wellington? Do you want to build your local food consumer base and grow a stronger local food economy? Consider becoming a Taste Real partner!

Submit an Online Application

Hear how being a Taste Real partner can benefit your business in our video below:

What's in it for me?

By joining Taste Real, you will receive and enjoy numerous benefits including:

• a business listing in the Local Food Map (if applicable)
• a directory listing/partner profile on the Business Directory with photos, promotions, and a link to your website
• the use of the Taste Real brand for your business
• access to free Taste Real promotional materials
• feature postings and ongoing promotion on Taste Real social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
• inclusion in seasonal or product specific stories and promotional campaigns
• use of the local food Events Calendar on with the opportunity to be promoted in the e-newsletter
• exposure through event-specific or brand advertising in regional and provincial publications, websites, industry events and tradeshows
• affiliation with the Guelph Wellington Local Food Network

Get the most of your partnership by sharing your events, photos and stories with us.

Application:

Please view and fill out our online application form. Application types include:

• Farm (Includes farm gate sales, farm stores, farmers’ markets)
• Food Service (Includes restaurants, catering, cooking school, food truck, food processing, retail, wholesale)
• Beverage (Includes brewery, winery, cidery, other)
• Supporter (Any non-food business, organization or individual who commits to supporting the local food and farming community)
• Fairs and Events (Any event that highlights or includes local food and farming within or close to Wellington County or the City of Guelph)

Submit an Online Application

If you would like a hard copy application, please contact us and we would be more than happy to forward one. We look forward to working with you!

The agri-food sector is a key component of Ontario's economy, making $63 billion in 2006.  Wellington County agriculture plays a key role in our local economy, with a diverse farming community that includes 2, 588 farms spanning 196,621 hectares of land.

Wellington County's agriculture is evolving and has exceed provincial growth for the last few years. Wellington County and the City of Guelph also have a large agricultural support network, including mills, suppliers, distributors and service providers for the agricultural industry.

Wellington County has a rich heritage of diverse agriculture and food production.  The farms that are represented on the Guelph Wellington Local Food Map are as diverse as the landscape including small scale horse powered production to larger farms that specialize in specific crops.

In our region you will find pick you own operations, on farm market stores, agri-tourism experiences and lots of local food opportunities.

Learn more about Wellington County Agriculture

It's a simple choice, but one that makes a big difference!

Aspire to be a locavore - eat food harvested close to home and reap the benefits in freshness and flavour. Wondering where to shop for locally grown food in your area? Check out the Guelph Wellington Local Food Map - a free directory of businesses that feature local food, including farms, markets, restaurants, caterers and others.

Being a locavore means eating the freshest food you can get!

The food on your plate does not have to travel thousands of miles! Buy from Guelph Wellington and taste the freshness while supporting your local community and preserving the environment. When you buy local food, you VOTE with your food dollar.

• Help the environment - Fewer food miles mean less pollution.
• Experience agriculture up close - Explore, experience and enjoy the magic of the countryside with your friends and family.
• Support local farm families - By supporting local agriculture today, you are helping to preserve local farmland and sustain food options for tomorrow.  
• Expand the local food market - Buying local foods will help create more shopping options for you and your family.
• Build relationships with farmers based on understanding and trust - Ask the grower questions about your food. Get the whole story on the food you eat.

Did you know: if every household in Guelph and Wellington County spent an extra $10 of their grocery money on local food, it would equal an investment of $750,000 per week back into our local economy. Wow! That's $39 million per year!

When you spend your money at local small businesses, your money returns to the local economy and is spent again locally, often another five to seven times. That not only helps keep local businesses in business, it fosters new business and creates more jobs in town.

Take the pledge!

No matter how much you already spend locally, why not consider how you can shift $10 more toward local food?  It's easy to find the right places to spend that extra money. Pick up or download the Local Food Map or simply visit your local farmers' market, farm gate stalls or roadside stands; look out for retailers, restaurants or business that display the Taste Real logo, when you see it, you'll know you are buying food grown close to home.

Tell us what you're doing to eat more local food! Share your story with us.