Basin Food Summit – Expo + Forum

The Basin Food Summit will cultivate opportunities for producers, processors and food buyers and create space and programming for growth, networking, collaborations and the celebration of local food.

Open to Basin residents in the agriculture and food industry.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24 | THE BASIN FOOD & BUYERS EXPO

Expanded and returning for a second year. Exhibiting opportunities for food producers and processors from the Basin to grow market opportunities and meet new buyers (grocery, restaurant, distribution and food service) from across Western Canada.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25 | AGRICULTURE FORUM

Gathering the region’s food growers, makers and support services to network, workshop and brainstorm around developing a thriving food and agriculture economy. This conference will explore new technology and regenerative practices with targeted program streams and experts for food business, community and both established and emerging farms.

FRIDAY + SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25+26 | YOUNG AGRARIANS MIXER

As part of the Agriculture Forum, join us for two days of farming workshops geared towards new and young farmers looking to develop skills, build knowledge, and network with farming peers. More info at: youngagrarians.org

I traveled to the Basin Food Expo with local Creston organic farmer Nigel Francis of Cartwheel Farm. He was excited to visit with farming friends and I was looking forward to sharing my coffee in Nelson with people from all over the region.

The local lunch provided was exceptional, one of the best conference meals I’ve ever been served and to make it even more special, the people who grew and made the products were right there at the table. Being an entrepreneur can be lonely and isolating so having opportunities to network with peers from our region is valuable not only in terms of business networking but interpersonally as well. The connections I made at the expo last year have lead to some of my favourite and most fruitful wholesale partnerships. This year I’m interested to see old friends and make more new ones. Seeing what people are creating and growing is inspiring and encourages me to continue to pursue my passion with coffee in my little corner of the basin

Lark Coffee Roasters

At Cutter Ranch, we have been farming for over 10 years and have primarily sold our products in the Kootenays and Basin area. When the Basin Food Buyers Expo group asked us to attend the Food Pro West convention in Vancouver (a premier food industry event in B.C), we were unsure what to expect, never having attended a food industry event such as this. Even as veteran food producers, this turned out to be an invaluable experience for our business, and would especially benefit a food producer early on in their career. It was an experience that connected and exposed us to a large number food industry customers and services. Also, seeing the interested being generated by the Basin Food Buyer Expo organizers for the upcoming event October, has us set on attending this event as well.

Cutter Ranch

This opportunity to meet with fellow producers and potential buyers helped us understand some of the direction changes we need to implement at Iron Skillet. We had many helpful conversations at the workshops and at the Expo.

Iron Skillet Artisan Spice Blends

FABX 2018 in Nelson was highly beneficial for Seedz Crackers. Not only did we connect with like minded entrepreneurs which was both educational and inspiring, FABX also allowed us to be discovered by food buyers which has grown our business significantly.

Seedz Crackers

It was a great experience to meet with other producers from the Basin and talk about the challenges of the season and to see how others dealt with similar problems and other situations, it was also great to connect with other producers and share ideas, and people from industry.

William Tell Family Estate

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