The Huron Expositor, 1998-03-18, Page 86Page 30A — Farm Progress '98
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567 Campbell St., Lucknow 528-3633
WRED's
There is exciting news
coming from
Women and Rural
Economic Development
(WRED) for local entre-
preneurs on how to grow
your bottom line. The buzz
word is alliances.
Business alliances were
the subject of an afternoon
of information sharing and
brainstorming in Clinton
on Jan. 21. "Foodlinks," a
WRED brainchild drew a
capacity crowd to the
OMAFRA office, bringing
together food producers,
small processors, retailers
and restaurateurs. The
group, representing every-
one from a producer of
raspberry leaf tea to the
executive chef of the
Benmiller Inn had a
chance to introduce them-
selves and state what they
could offer an alliance and
what they would hope to
gain from forming an
alliance.
Other activities includ-
ed a panel discussion,
new buzz word is 'alliance'
moderated by Reg
Cressman, a king time
alliance advocate.
Participants learned from
the panel that a business
alliance is a powerful tool
which enables the partners
to achieve goals together
that they could not achieve
alone. Risks and resources
are shared. New markets
are created with shorter
lead times. Increased prof-
its show up on the bottom
line. Individual business
identities are maintained.
These alliances can be for-
mal or informal, long-term
or short term.
The panel offered some
interesting ideas for devel-
oping alliances.
Shirley Hazlitt, owner
of "Future Positive," a
Benmiller area business,
shared her experiences in
working with the Ontario
Maple Syrup Producers
Association to develop
Maple Seal of Quality pro-
gram. This would be much
like the Ontario Wine
Makers' Vintners Quality
Assurance (VQA) Alliance
which has become so
familiar to consumers over
the past number of years.
Murray Switzer spoke
on behalf of the Kirkton-
Woodham Farmer's Club
which is another large, for-
mal alliance. This alliance
formed to help farmers
reduce input costs through
bulk buying and last year
alone processed over $3
million in sales.
The third panelist, Judie
Glen, spoke of many infor-
mal alliances she has been
part of to help grow her
Listowel area business,
Glen Farms Herbs and
Preserves Inc., a home
based speciality food man-
ufactunng company. Glen
spoke of trading services
with a woodworker for
promotion of his jam cup-
boards at major trade
shows. She highly recom-
mends alliances and is
very c ycited about the end-
less potential for develop-
ing these win-win situa-
tions.
Mary Moody of A & M
Home Products of Hensall
commented, "The day was
just perfect for us and for
what we are planning to
do. It was really enlighten-
ing about what alliances
can do. It is the wave of the
future for small businesses
as resources aren't always
there and alliances arc one
way to overcome some
barriers."
Realizing the effective-
ness of working together,
WRED is allying with a
number of partners to
bring another Huron/Perth
County event to life -
"Cultivating Tours and
Taste Buds." This one day
event will he held on
March 28 at the Clinton
OMAFRA office from 8
a.m.to 5 p.m.
Attend to learn more
about Opening Your Gates
to Agri -Tourism,
Developing Value Added
Products and How to
Promote Your Business
Through Effective Press
Releases.
For info 273-5017.
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