More shoppers looking for local products – SteinbachOnline.com

More and more people in southeastern Manitoba are choosing to shop local, and business leaders say it’s making a big difference for the region’s economy. 

The Steinbach Chamber of Commerce has been advocating for the “shop local” movement for many years, and executive director Tessa Masi says she has noticed a shift in consumer awareness, especially in the past week. 

“We definitely are hearing people talking about the importance of buying local more and we think that’s fantastic because with local businesses, that’s really important to us,” she says. 

Results from a recent SteinbachOnline poll show strong support for Canadian-made products as well as limiting travel in the United States with the potential for new tariffs.

Poll results from SteinbachOnline.com

Local businesses contribute significantly to their communities, yet they often face competition from larger national and international retailers. Masi says raising awareness about shopping local helps highlight the economic and social benefits of keeping money within the community. 

“We sometimes overlook how integral it is to be shopping local and supporting these small businesses,” she says. “This is a great opportunity for us to re-evaluate some of that and pay attention to how we can help to better support our local businesses.” 

She notes that consumers can be more intentional in their support by reading product labels, checking where an item was made, and considering who is selling the product. 

“We’re noticing that people are sharing exactly things like that on social media and just letting people know, ‘Hey, this is a great local product. You should be putting this on your radar,’” she says. 

Local businesses adjust to consumer demand 

One of the businesses benefiting from the shop local movement is Prairie Oils and Vinegars in Steinbach. Owner Bev Penner says about half of the products in her store are Canadian. 

“We don’t grow olives in Canada, and authentic balsamic vinegar doesn’t come from here, but of the products we carry, at least 50 per cent are Canadian,” she says. 

Penner, who opened the store 12 years ago, notes that supporting local has always been a priority for her. She intentionally stocks Manitoba-made products such as Von Slick’s Finishing Butters and Gourmet Inspirations, a brand created by Steinbach resident Peter Fehr. 

“We have a lot of great Manitoba food producers that make amazing products,” she says. “And we have so much available from Canadian producers or even distributors that we don’t really need to buy that much for our store that’s from outside of Canada.” 

Prairie Oils and Vinegars is preparing to move to a larger location this spring. The new space at 11 Brandt Street will be shared with Old Church Bakery, allowing both businesses to expand their product offerings and host events. 

Local businesses thrive with community support 

Fehr, the owner of Gourmet Inspirations and Love Local Manitoba, has witnessed firsthand the growing enthusiasm for locally made products. 

“I have seen an increase in people supporting local on social media,” he says. “There’s been lots of posts about ‘Support Manitoba, support Canada,’ and that’s been really encouraging.” 

Fehr’s journey into local business started with his passion for food. As a trained chef, he created a creamy peppercorn whiskey steak sauce while working at a northern Manitoba fishing resort. Encouraged by guests, he decided to bottle and sell it. That venture eventually led him to create Love Local Manitoba, which now sells more than 600 Manitoba-made products in St. Vital Centre in Winnipeg. 

He says there are many benefits to the shop local movement. 

“It helps to support our local economy, to keep the local dollar circulating locally,” he said. “And then there’s the feel-good factor—you’re supporting your neighbours and your friends and their businesses.” 

While Fehr launched an online store in 2019, he has noticed that customers still prefer in-person shopping. 

“During COVID, when there were lockdowns, everyone was shopping online,” he recalls. “But we’ve actually found that people crave the in-person experience, and our in-store sales have just kept increasing.” 

As momentum builds around supporting local businesses, Fehr says he hopes the trend will lead to further innovation and entrepreneurship in the region. 

“There’s a demand for more,” he says. “I think there’s room for innovation, and exciting things can happen when there’s challenges too. I hope to see more amazing food and beverage products come out of Manitoba and Canada.”