For over 30 years the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has been holding their Flavors of Carolina show in order to give farmers and value added products the opportunity to show off in front of grocery buyers, restaurants, specialty shops, military commissaries, and school nutrition representatives. The event is an invitation-only affair held in Charlotte and Raleigh for businesses and buyers.”This is a unique opportunity for many of the businesses here,” said Paul Jones with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services marketing division. “The chance to show their hard work to a wide range of buyers all in one place is just one of the ways the division works to help food entrepreneurs.”The function is meant to highlight the local food movement and the wall-to-wall attendance at this year’s gathering was evidence of the awareness and demand for the products present.The show featured over 100 vendors in the categories of bakery, beverage, frozen, candy, dairy, meat, grocery, produce, seafood, snacks, and even apparel.Agribusiness will have another chance to come together in the western part of the state for their Flavors of Carolina get together towards the end of the month. Many of the vendors participate in both shows in order to make sure they are getting in front of buyers from all over the state.”We are signed up,” said James Eason of Covington Vodka. “We definitely take advantage of and enjoy participating in these events that the department puts together they are a huge help to our business.”
