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"Market
development programs like this are important because food processing
is one of Illinois' leading manufacturing activities," Hartke said.
"By providing Illinois food companies an opportunity to market their
products directly to consumers, the Illinois Products Expo helps to
create demand for our crops and jobs in our food industry."
Illinois ranks first in the United States in sales of processed
food products, and third in food processing jobs. The state's 1,539
food companies employ more than 85,000 workers.
The Expo's food offerings will include fresh meat products,
candy, gourmet seasonings and sauces, homemade jams and jellies,
specialty dressings, and other items. Beverages also will be
available. Expo visitors can quench their thirst with an apple cider
slush or sip of Illinois wine from one of 15 vintners. Wine will be
sold by the sample, glass and bottle.
Expo hours are: Saturday, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and
Sunday, March 4, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission is $3. Children 10 and younger will be admitted free of
charge.
Free recipes and coupons will be available, and drawings will be
held for door prizes, including baskets of Illinois food products
and a $650 Weber Genesis Silver-C gas grill.
Sponsors include the American Egg Board, Bunn-O-Matic
Corporation, Illinois Beef Association, Illinois Farm Bureau,
Illinois Finance Authority, Illinois Food Retailers Association,
Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association, Illinois Pork
Producers Association, Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois
Specialty Growers Association, and Kehe Foods, as well as the
Illinois Department of Agriculture Bureau of Marketing and Promotion
and other participating food companies and agribusinesses.
A list of the participating food companies, wineries and
agriculture associations follows:
-
Ahruns Famous, Inc.,
Crystal Lake
-
American Egg Board,
Springfield
-
Aunt Em's Gourmet
Popcorn, Deer Creek
-
Auntie Ruth's
Gourmet, Inc., Chicago
-
Avatar Teas,
Bloomington
-
Beverly's Dressings,
Roanoke
-
Bombardieri's
Specialty Items, Staunton
-
Butch's Pizza, Inc.,
Morton
-
Capital District
Dietetic Assn., Springfield
-
Chef Dick's Barbecue
Sauce, Girard
-
Country Bob, Inc.,
Centralia
-
Country Lights Soy
Candles, Ltd., Leland
-
Coupla Guys Foods,
Chicago
-
Darn Hot Peppers,
Cobden
-
Debbie's Naturally
Made Lotions, Nilwood
-
Dorothy's Candy,
Godfrey
-
E. Formella & Sons,
Inc., Woodridge
-
Eagle Bridges Soy
Candles, Jacksonville
[to top of second column] |
-
Future Farmers of
America, Springfield
-
Gringo Foods,
O'Fallon
-
H & B Ham Company,
Brighton
-
Hannah's Granna's,
Charleston
-
Homeplace Sodas,
Charleston
-
Illinois Beef
Association
-
Illinois Grape
Growers & Vintners Assn.
-
Illinois Pork
Producers Association
-
Illinois Specialty
Growers Association
-
Illinois State
Beekeepers Association
-
Illinois State Turkey
Growers Association
-
Interstate Brands
Corporation, Litchfield
-
J.D. Mullen Company,
Inc., Palestine
-
Kitchen Cooked, Inc.,
Farmington
-
Little Muddy
Longhorns, Scheller
-
Lonzerotti's Italian
Products, Jacksonville
-
M & G Foods, Hamilton
-
Mackinaw Valley
Apiaries, Inc., Mackinaw
-
McCain's Barbecue
Sauce, Mason
-
Oakland Noodle
Company, Oakland
-
Onofrio's Classic
Sauces, Springfield
-
Pasta Alley, Robinson
-
Pasta By Sue,
Belvidere
-
Pease's Candy,
Springfield
-
Pick-A-Pepper Candy
Co., Springfield
-
Prairie Pure Cheese,
Belvidere
-
Purvis Farms Sausage,
Sullivan
-
RGW Candy Company,
Atlanta
-
Red Cactus-USA, Inc.,
Quincy
-
Riley's Seasonings,
Inc., Pittsfield
-
Rockome Gardens,
Arcola
-
Sasse's Apiary,
Chestnut
-
Spice of Life,
Decatur
-
Steidinger Foods,
Forrest
-
Tabgha Company,
Harrisburg
-
Toohill Seed & Beef
Services, Heyworth
-
Turtle Crossing Food
Corporation, Bartlett
-
Turtle Island, Inc.,
McHenry
-
Voss Pecans, Carlyle
Participating Illinois wine companies:
-
Alto Vineyards, Alto
Pass
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Berryville, Claremont
-
Fox Creek Vineyards,
Olney
-
Fox Valley Winery,
Oswego
-
Hogg Hollow Winery,
Golconda
-
Illinois River
Winery, Utica
-
Lasata, Lawrenceville
-
Mary Michelle Winery,
Carrollton
-
Massbach Ridge
Winery, Elizabeth
-
Pheasant Hollow
Winery, Whittington
-
Ravissant, Belleville
-
Shawnee Winery,
Vienna
-
Spirit Knob Vineyard
& Winery, Ursa
-
Vahling Vineyards,
Stewardson
-
Willett's Winery &
Cellar, Manito
To learn more about the products to taste at the Expo, visit the
Illinois Department of Agriculture's website at
www.agr.state.il.us and
click on
"Illinois Products Expo."
[Text copied from Illinois
Department of Agriculture news release received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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