Economic Development eNews | November 17, 2020 |
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El Rebost offers meals to go, specialty foods from Spain |
PRESCOTT - Growing up in Spain, Marc Gomez Segu enjoyed his homeland's great foods and his mom's amazing meals.
Now calling this country home with his Canadian wife Lorna, Marc is bringing many of these healthy foods and dishes to the region with his gourmet food service El Rebost de les Mil Illes. He is also a cross-Canada distributor for European Quality Foods.
"We are using premium ingredients," says Marc of his expansion into prepared food for take-out orders.
Some of his offerings are his favourite dishes from Spain, including Spanish paella, Joselito Iberian ham croquetas, Spanish pinchos, Piquillo sweet peppers stuffed with tuna, and Spanish charcuterie and cheese boards.
"All of the products I offer have a story behind them," says Marc. One story is Jamon Joselito, a naturally cured ham made by a sixth generation family company in Spain with a reputation for being the best in the world. It is one of Marc's top sellers and he is the sole distributor in Canada.
LC La Catedral de Navarra is a third-generation Spanish company specializing in hand-harvested and artisanally preserved vegetables. "The grandmother who started the company was the first to have a canning machine in the region," says Marc, adding she then built a business that continues to thrive today.
Every product on his shelves is well known to Marc and he can tell you why he is passionate about sharing them with you. "It's good to know your business and why the products are so special," he says.
One of his favourites is Llum Farga Millennial Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is created from trees that are over a 1,000 years old. Olives are handpicked, pressed and bottled in penumbra for maximum flavour and quality, he says.
Marc also sells Heura, a new generation in plant-based proteins "delivering textures never seen before in the vegetable kingdom," including vegan beef and chicken. Another company is Plancton Marino, which produces marine plankton, discovered in partnership with the 3 Michelin Star chef Ángel León, a new ingredient considered a super food for the restaurant and food industries.
Recently Marc earned the distribution rights for Vichy Catalan, a distinct Spanish sparkling water that contains a high number of essential minerals.
El Rebost (meaning The Pantry in Catalan) is located at 911 Industrial Road in Prescott. You can call 613-918-0702 or send Marc and his team an email.
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Top feature photo: Marc Gomez Segu brings healthy and sustainable foods from Spain to his Prescott-based business El Rebost. Below: carving Joselito ham. |
Above: Jody Willie with their grocery display. Marc, Jody and chef Josh Baker make up the El Rebost team. |
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Economic Development Summit |
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Eastern Ontario Regional Network's Lisa Severson, who is the Director of Communications, joins the list of speakers. |
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Still time to Register for Summit |
Join us virtually for the Annual Leeds Grenville Economic Development Summit.
The advanced agenda features top-notch speakers, including Lisa Severson, Director of Communications with the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN). Lisa will provide an update on Eastern Ontario's digital strategy. She joins keynote speakers the Hon. Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Dr. Trevin Stratton, Chief Economist with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and Ann Weir, Economic Development Manager for Leeds Grenville.
The afternoon sessions feature interactive chat rooms that focus on the regional recovery strategies:
- Small Business, Local Business Marketing and Promotion
- Tourism
- Agriculture and Food
- Manufacturing, Transportation, Logistics and Warehousing
- Workforce
- New Economy Opportunities
Registration deadline: Wednesday, November 18, 4 p.m.
WHEN: Friday, November 20th, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
COST: $10
NOTE: Cancellation of summit tickets must be done 48 hours prior to the event.
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Supporting Local Food
Instead of a meal with your Summit ticket, we have partnered with My Local Markets to provide you an opportunity to support products made in Leeds Grenville. Packages are $25, $50 or $75 and will be delivered the week of November 16th. Taxes and delivery are included in the price. Substitute local products may be required in some packages depending on demand. Packages are available for purchase until 5 p.m. November 17th. Order Local Food Products Now.
NOTE: Cancellation of My Local Markets packages must be done before 3 p.m. on November 17th.
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Augusta Township honours Business of the Year,
New Business of the Year
Elmer's Construction Ltd., owned by Elmer and Patti Covill, is the 2020 Business of the Year. Elmer’s Construction has been in business for 47 years and currently employs 12 full-time people. It is located on County Road 21 in North Augusta.
The business sells, installs, pumps and inspects septic systems. It also provides sand, gravel, and topsoil delivery as well as excavation.
Elmer's Construction supports local events and donates to a variety of charities.
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Patti and Elmer are congratulated by MP Michael Barrett at the event hosted by Augusta Township Council and the Economic Development and Tourism Committee. Below: Brenda Visser of Flowers of the Field. |
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Flowers of the Field owner Brenda Visser is the New Business of the Year Award recipient. Brenda sells fresh grown flowers and floral arrangements at the Brockville and Gananoque Farmers' Markets and her farm gate. She offers a unique floral subscription service. Brenda recently moved the business to Augusta Township to expand her business. Starting in 2021, Brenda hopes to provide workshops and tours of the farm to be a contributor to Agri-tourism.
Brenda will also be receiving a $1,000 grant from the Leeds Grenville Small Business Centre for her successful completion of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Program.
The awards were presented by the Augusta Township Council and the Economic Development and Tourism committee on Friday, November 6th, in Maynard. The purpose of the awards is to honour and raise the profile of Augusta Township businesses. The Business of the Year is evaluated on longevity, history, innovation, and community involvement. The New Business of the Year recognizes an entrepreneur who has launched a business in the last 5 years. This award is evaluated on sustainability, leadership and community involvement.
Other nominees for Business of the Year included: Creekside Diner, Dewar’s Inn on the River, Coville’s Greenhouses and Shannon Farms Ltd. Other nominees for new business were Harper’s Landing and JJ’s Construction.
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Digital Service Squads helping Small Business access grants, improve online presence
All communities in the Leeds Grenville region are now being serviced by a Digital Service Squad. These squads are digital experts hired to provide free support and guidance to small businesses. They offer one-on-one support tailored to each business’s unique digital needs.
Squad members can help with online marketing, social media account setup and content creation, website improvement, photography and videography, implementation of new digital tools and technology and so much more!
Squads will also be focusing on connecting with businesses who are likely to qualify for a $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant. This grant is generally available to small businesses who pay commercial property tax, have a storefront/bricks and mortar location in a downtown, main street setting. Eligible main street small businesses can use this money towards the adaption of digital technology to help boost their business.
Some uses of the grant money include:
- Digital marketing
- Website development and plug-ins
- Training
- Purchase of software and certain hardware
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Deadline for the Digital Transformation Grant is November 30th, 2020.
Businesses interested in taking advantage should act soon and reach out to a Service Squad member to determine their eligibility.
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Workshops, Seminars and Webinar Library |
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Recruiting and Retaining the Best webinar
In a perpetual loop of hiring new people? Finding and keeping good employees requires planning and thinking way beyond salaries and benefits. In this one-hour webinar, Sarah Delicate shares some of the 'must-do' strategies for recruiting and retaining the best. A third session hosted by the Eastern Workforce Innovation Board follows in January 2021.
WHEN: Thursday, November 26, 10 - 11 a.m.
COST: Free
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401 East Virtual Roundtables
Skills Ontario will speak about best practices for hiring skilled tradespeople and dealing with recruitment challenges.
- Nov. 17 - Small / medium-sized employers (<50) in the skilled trades
- Nov. 18 - Bigger employers (50+) - Construction & Manufacturers
- Nov. 19 - Government representatives, NGOs, Employment Ontario
WHEN: Tuesday, November 17, Wednesday, November 18 and Thursday, November 19.
11 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. each day
COST: Free
Join one of these virtual roundtables to network, learn and share. Email Alex de Wit to secure your spot.
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Leeds Grenville eNews Deadlines for submitting information:
If you have an upcoming workshop, seminar, or business-related event, please email it to us in advance.
- Submissions for the December 1st edition should be received by Monday, November 23rd.
- Submissions for the December 15th edition should be received by Monday, December 7th.
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COVID-19 Business Updates
For business assistance call 613-342-3840 ext. 5365 or email.
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Ann Weir
Economic Development Manager
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Deanna Clark
Economic Development Officer
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Joanne Poll
Administration / Communications Support
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Shelbi McFarlane
Business Development Officer
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32 Wall Street, Suite 300, Brockville, ON K6V 4R9
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