About Taste the County™
Taste the County™ is a marketing and quality enhancement organization that was established in Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada in 1999. As an incorporated not-for-profit organization, Taste the County™ has the ability to apply for funding in order to fulfill its mandate to stimulate agricultural and tourism economic growth through sustainable event marketing and project management in Prince Edward County.
Our goal is to sustain long-term marketing and quality enhancement initiatives that will ensure the continuation of Taste the County™ services and encourage ongoing growth in the local agricultural and tourism market. Taste the County™ takes a strategic approach to marketing Prince Edward County for the betterment of it’s partners, in particular Taste the County™ has aligned its strategy with that of the Corporation of the County of Prince Edward through the Community Development Office. In addition to marketing existing businesses, events and attractions, Taste the County™ fosters innovation and creativity by providing a structure where new ideas are nurtured, developed and translated into reality to benefit growth and prosperity in Prince Edward County.
In 1999, Taste the County™ was recognized with the Ontario CDC Economic Development Award. In 2003, Taste the County™ received the Outstanding Partnership with Business 2003 from the Foundation for Rural Living.
Mission
The mission of Taste the County™ is to successfully promote Prince Edward County as a unique destination to stimulate growth.
Objectives
The objectives of Taste the County™ are:
- To market the products and services of Prince Edward County, both inside the County and to a targeted and diverse external market
- To provide educational and support services to the Partners of Taste the County™
- To generate revenue through event management and consultation services that are relevant to our mandate and expertise.
The History of Taste the County™
In 1998, a group of community entrepreneurs came together to identify the need for an organization to assist with marketing and economic growth of Prince Edward County, hence the birth of Taste the County™. Taste the County™, under the sponsorship of the Prince Edward County Chamber of Tourism & Commerce and the Prince Edward Federation of Agriculture, accessed funding from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food through their Rural Job Strategies program. In 1999, $500,000 was committed to Taste the County™ over a three-year period to assist with the organization's objectives. As of January 1, 2002 Taste the County ™ is a self-sustaining, not-for-profit organization. In June of 2002 Taste the County™ incorporated. In September of 2004, Taste the County™ was trademarked.
What Services Do We Offer
Taste the County™ offers the following services:
- Marketing of partner products and services, using targeted media to attract a targeted audience
- Management and marketing for events held within the County
- Project management of approved projects which further the mandate of Taste the County™
- Regional advocacy for initiatives and products which will benefit the County as part of a broader region
- Consulting services related to event and project management, fundraising and marketing on a community or regional basis
Why was the name, "Taste the County™", chosen
The theme of this marketing campaign is based on all the wonderful "tastes" of Prince Edward County. To begin with there are our wonderful agricultural products, our fisheries products, and the other products we harvest from nature. The incredible abundance of these tastes has long earned County agriculturalists and fisheries an enviable reputation. But the "Tastes" of Prince Edward County go far beyond the enjoyment of the palate. They include the feeling of rural community life a visitor experiences when they attend a local fish fry or pancake breakfast. They include the history, the natural beauty, the recreational activity, the culture, the artistic talent ... the list goes on and on ... Taste the Food, Taste the History, Taste the Hospitality ... The Taste the County™ logo was designed with all of these "tastes" in mind [more info ...]
Why be a partner of "Taste the County™"
We need to work together in Prince Edward to pool our resources and our efforts to market all these wonderful tastes effectively. Working together, we can extend our shoulder season, find new products to grow, advertise cooperatively, participate in trade shows, investigate markets and methods, put money into educating our workforce ... These initiatives have been happening through Taste the County™ -- the possibilities are limited only by our own imagination and resourcefulness.[more info ...]
Great things are happening
in Prince Edward County!!!
There is a need for many committees and volunteers. Call 393-2796 to let us know if you would like to get involved. Your input and involvement can help ensure the result is what you want for Prince Edward.
Be a volunteer and become a partner.
Get involved !!!
Help it continue to happen !!
