Kaslo Sourdough is happy to share that we were successful with our application for Buy BC funding this year. We have several plans for using this new funding, big and small!
What is the Buy BC program?
For a quick recap, as we've written about the Buy BC program in 2021, the program exists (broadly) to enable BC local businesses to make themselves better known. There are fortunately a lot of ways to do this - online and in print. The program has seen a few changes since 2021, including now being administered by MNP on behalf of the BC Ministry of Agriculture.
The core of the program hasn't changed: there's the "apply for a license to use the "Buy BC logo" part, and the "cost-sharing funding" part, and it's the second part that we have again been successful to.
This funding makes a big difference!
As a small company, we don't have a big budget for marketing or promotions. We never have. Part of it is that as a small company, we have one person doing multiple roles, from accounting to staff management and hiring and planning. And when there is a bit of time left over, yes, she does and will think about promotion and marketing. But it's rarely the first thing on the list. It takes time and care to think ideas through that will connect with folks like you.
This funding helps make it a priority and helps us build expertise within the business. There is a lot to learn about how to do marketing and promotion effectively! Getting the word out about your company and your products doesn't always feel easy or come naturally.
So what are we planning to use the funding for this year?
With the funding this year, we have four things coming up:
- Launching the new pasta variety later this month - stay tuned!
- Undertaking some more online engagement and awareness - both about us as a BC local company and about our sourdough products
- Doing in-store demos and sampling for those folks who haven't tried our pastas yet, and
- Printing some recipe cards!
We're super excited about the recipe cards: food photography done well is inspiring. We love the visual aspect of food and that it can make you excited about what to cook and eat next!
We already love the look of the cards, and were able to partner with another BC entrepreneur to make them. And another Kootenay local company to print them. If you order from our online shop, we will include one of the four recipe cards in your order, so keep an eye out for those!
We will have an upcoming blog post about the recipe cards and making them, too. We'll post that with the next newsletter!
Thank you Buy BC!
We are very thankful to have received funding this year! As outlined above, the funding makes a big difference for us. We'll be making good use of it from now until April 2024.
This project is supported by the BC Government’s Buy BC Partnership Program; delivered by MNP with funding from the Government of British Columbia.
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