Everyone loves free products, and there’ll be plenty of them to see, touch, and taste in the sampling area at this year’s Ridge Meadows Home Show.
Located in the lobby of the curling rink, this section features a wide variety of businesses looking to give attendees a free taste of their products.
Deb Bradbury, exhibit sales manager for the Home Show, said that there will be nine businesses participating in the sampling area this year, with many of them being new additions to the event.
The list of businesses that will be in the sampling area includes:
• Wineland Dressings
• Checkers Fudge
• House of Q
• Planet Mushrooms
• Fanz Family Flavours
• Island Jerky
• Infusion Premium Foods
• Slow Bottled Sunday
• Kizuna Sauces Inc
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According to Bradbury, the first-time businesses are Planet Mushrooms, Fanz Family Flavours, Island Jerky, and Kizuna Sauces.
Planet Mushrooms offers anything and everything mushroom-related, with one of their signature products being their growing kits, which allow someone to grow their own mushrooms just by adding water to a pre-prepared kit.
According to Planet Mushrooms, some of their biggest sellers include their pink oyster, chestnut, lion’s mane, and blue oyster mushroom kits. But they also offer an array of mushroom-based soups and risotto packs as well.
Bacon lovers will want to stop by the Fanz Family Flavours booth, which will feature their two flavours of bacon jam.
Both the traditional and honey jalapeno versions are made with locally sourced ingredients and contain 40 per cent bacon, which the company says makes them perfect for almost any savoury dish.
Kizuna Sauces, which is based out of the Okanagan, say that they allow people to become authentic Japanese chefs in their own homes thanks to the company’s selection of Japanese dressings and soy sauces.
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Island Jerky offers exactly what it sounds like. “The name says it all,” said Bradbury.
The Sidney, B.C. company creates a lineup of hickory wood-smoked beef jerky. It’s available in original, teriyaki, and black pepper flavours.
“There’s so much variety each year,” said Bradbury. “Whether you are looking for fudge to eat or some fancy sauces for home cooking. It is a big hit.”
Michelle Liesch of Island Jerky said that she has been wanting to participate in the Home Show for several years now, ever since Bradbury first brought it to her attention, but the timing just never worked out.
“I would check up on the event and what it had to offer and I was impressed,” said Liesch. “Deb was overjoyed I was finally going to attend this year.”
She said it was the diversity of the Ridge Meadows Home Show that really drew her to the event.
“I’ve vended at home shows in the past but Ridge Meadows Home Show has so much more to attract a wider variety of attendees,” said Liesch.
The sampling area will be at the entrance to the Ridge Meadows Home Show and will be open during the show’s operational hours of 4 to 9 p.m. on May 3, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 4, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 5.
Tickets to the Home Show are $5 for a single ticket and $8 for a family.
