Independent Restaurants Promote Local Dining Through Original Fare Organization
Food for thought: Thanks to an array of excellent independent restaurants in the area and restaurateurs who are known for putting all of their energies and talent into their establishments, residents here are guaranteed food and experiences that are exclusively Edmonton.
Now, a private local company has united many of these restaurateurs and is helping trumpet their collective cause of getting this message out to residents and visitors alike. Original Fare was founded in 2005 to encourage people to dine locally.
“I thought that if we could work collaboratively, we could hopefully make independent restaurants a little more well known – and sustainable – in Edmonton and its immediate surrounding area,” says Jessie Radies, founder of Original Fare as well as owner of The Blue Pear restaurant in Edmonton. “My background is in franchising and working for large multi-national companies, so I know the advertising tricks for helping those restaurant chains succeed. So when I started Original Fare, the goal was to make that kind of group marketing work for local independents.”
Each of the member restaurants pays Original Fare a monthly, and that money goes toward year-round advertising via print and online ads, as well as to the operation of the www.originalfare.com Web site.
Brady Weiler is the owner and operator of Pipestone Food Co. Ltd. in Wetaskiwin, which is an Original Fare member. Weiler says Pipestone Food offers local fare with gourmet flair and specializes in steak, chicken and seafood – plus bison and elk dinners. Weiler says the Original Fare marketing effort has been a success, and it boils down to strength in numbers.
“It sort of evens the playing field for little guys like us, to be able to market ourselves at a higher and more noticeable level,” he says. “It’s a great way for independent restaurateurs like myself to let people know who we are, what we’re about, and how to find us.”
Weiler explains that the group also advocates among its members business practices that promote sustaining the local economy.
“We have been doing a very brisk business, and I must give a lot of credit to Original Fare for much of our increase,” he says. “One thing that the group advocates is purchasing local and organically grown products whenever possible. I would say that 80 percent of the products I use at Pipestone are local. Even the stationery we buy is made in Edmonton.”
Restaurants within Edmonton that are current members of Original Fare are Accent Restaurant & Lounge, Blue Plate Diner, Culina Highlands, Culina Millcreek, Il Forno, Jack’s Grill, Leva, Parkallen Restaurant, Red Ox Inn, The Blue Pear, The Dish, Upper Crust Cafe & Caterers, Von’s Steakhouse & Oyster Bar, and Wild Tangerine.
Besides Pipestone Food Co. Ltd., members outside of Edmonton are Eco Café in Pigeon Lake, and The Glens Grill at Montgomery Glen Golf & Country Club in Wetaskiwin.
“The only stipulation to joining Original Fare is that a restaurant must be locally owned and independent, meaning that the owner is able to make all of the decisions for their particular establishment,” Radies says. “This is the most successful marketing plan I could have ever been involved with. I just could never do it by myself – I needed 16 other restaurants to help me. And they certainly have.”
