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Once a year, Loblaws brings in all its store managers from across Canada for seminars, presentations and also to allow them to engage with the top vendors to the company. All the sections are represented - grocery, produce, meat, deli and so on.

Our client, Windset Farms, is one of those top vendors. The Number ONE greenhouse vendor, as a matter of fact. So, once again, we deployed to Toronto on a mission to WOW.

Each year, the challenge is to present Windset's family of greenhouse produce (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers) in ways that are unique and innovative - to match the flavour of the company. Last year, while others in the category were serving samples where their products were merely ingredients, we served grape tomatoes injected with Tabasco™, Clamato™ and Worcestershire sauce - the little Caesar Pops were the talk of the show. The product should always be the hero.

With No Name and President's Choice as house brands, Loblaws is about innovation. They sell cool things. We weren't going to show up to the party this year unless we had something cool and innovative too.

Something like a red pepper sorbetto made from freshly juiced Maestro™ and Gusto™ peppers. The goal continuing to be demonstrating that Windset is about usage and occasion, not just growing ingredients for salads.

We had Chris Loscerbo at Mario's Gelati make us a batch (Chris, you're a genius) that quickly became the talk of the show. Loblaws product development people were sent over to try some. President's Choice brand managers were sent over to try some. The question most often asked was "when will this Windsetto Sorbetto be in market?" While never is a strong word, they were blown away when we told them we made it just for this show. Just for them.

Red pepper Sorbetto Windsetto is a palate confuser versus a palate cleanser. It's a perfect set-up between courses of complimentary flavours - cheeses to salads to grilled meats. And don't forget the wine.

We may have a little on hand if you'd like to try some here at Tugboat or, if you plan on attending the Canadian Poduce Marketing Show in Calgary this spring, we may serve some up there as well.