After 18 months of close cooperation with Loblaws, the largest supermarket chain in Canada, Ubifrance Canada has organised on April 26 and 27 a trade mission for 16 French vendors of various products, from frozen canapés and escargots, to mustards and cookies. They have participated in the first “LCL Offshore Innovation Show” in Brampton, Ontario. The show has welcomed in total 33 companies from France, Italy, Chili, New Zealand, Switzerland and Germany. It was a great opportunity for the French companies and their international competitors to meet with the private label teams directly at their main office. Ubifrance Canada will work together with Loblaws in the coming months to improve and optimise the format.

Take part to the International Symposium & Exhibition on Natural Dyes (ISEND 2011) in La Rochelle (south-west  atlantic  French coast) ! The conference will last for six days, from April 25 to 30, featuring lectures, posters, films, dyeing demonstrations and field excursions to visit farmers growing dye plants, laboratories and to meet the local species of purple-producing shells along the sea-shore ...   More than 500 participants and speakers coming from 50 different countries are awaited to debate the biggest environmental, cultural and economical challenges regarding the preservation and developing of natural dyes.   UBIFRANCE supports this event, a great opportunity to meet with experts from all over the world and to discover the French offer of natural dyes and coloring agents in very different sectors : textile, leather processing, food and beverages, cosmetics…   For more information on ISEND 2011 Conference in La Rochelle, just follow this link : www.isend2011.com .

Naturally French - Vancouver and Seattle - November 7 -10, 2010 The French Trade Commissions in Canada and in the US, in partnership with the French American Chambre of Commerce in Seattle have organised seminars with professionals followed by two trade shows in Vancouver at the Terminal City and in Seattle at the Renaissance Hotel. Eleven French suppliers have showcased their organic and natural products to importers, distributors, retailers, brokers, buyers from supermarket chains, buyers from the foodservice and the media. During these 4 days, the French companies confirmed that  they now have a better understanding and overview of the Canadian and American markets . They also have been able to identify business opportunities with importer s , new clients and/or other channels to develop their sales. Biopress ( www.biopress.fr ), Bretagne Gourmet ( www.bretagne-gourmet.com ), Combier ( www.combier.fr ), Corsica Gastronomia ( www.corsicagastronomia.com ), Crusty Bakery ( www.crustybakery.com ), Famille Michaud Apiculteurs ( www.lunedemiel.fr ), Française de Gastronomie ( www.francaise-de-gastronomie.fr ), Gelagri SAS ( www.gelagri.fcom ), La Fruitière du Val Evel ( www.lafruitiere.com ), Reine de Dijon SAS ( www.reinededijon.fr ), Tipiak ( www.tipiak.fr ).

17 organic wine French producers were in Montreal to present their products at a wine tasting event. Organised by the French Trade Commissions in Canada and in the USA , this event took place in Montreal, San Francisco and Washington DC. Dedicated to professionals (monopoles, agents, restaurants and sommeliers), this event was a great opportunity to discover the French soil and its famous regions for this growing  niche market.

Toronto: May 4 - Miami or Los Angeles: May 6 During the LCBO Month of France, the French Trade Commissions in Canada have organised a tasting with 42 wine producers from 10 regions of France. The French Wine Connection 2010 – North America was a trade event only. Wine agencies, sommeliers, hotels and restaurants owners and managers as well as LCBO representatives could taste wines and spirits already on the market or discover new products. The French winegrowers then headed to Los Angeles or Miami.