The former owner of Samuels Hotel says it's taken a while, but Huron County can now boast a robust food, wine and beer industry.
Part of that is the number of wineries and breweries that are now operating in Huron and all of them working together with local food producers and restaurants.
Kim Burgsma, who is a committee member for Taste of Huron, said when they owned the hotel in Goderich it was almost impossible to sell a customer Ontario wine. But that's all changed over the last five years.
Kim Burgsma, Taste of Huron committee member (photo by Bob Montgomery)
"They wanted wine from the States, they wanted wine from Europe and the last five years, I'd say people are coming around. We had an all-Ontario wine and beer list and as much local as possible and people now appreciate that," she said.
Speaking at this weekend's Ontario Heritage Conference in Goderich, Burgsma said consumer demand for local food, beer and wine is growing, so stores and restaurants will have to start stocking more local products to meet that demand.
"We need to support each other. So we would love for everyone, when they're sitting down in a restaurant, ask are you serving local food?" she said.
