The President's Choice® team asks British Columbians to expect more from their al fresco dining experiences with recipes from Chef Trevor Bird
VANCOUVER, June 30, 2015 /CNW/ - (TSX:L) As the province continues to enjoy uncharacteristically dry and warm weather, barbeque season is well under way. To help British Columbian's celebrate the joys of summer, the President's Choice® brand is providing Canadians with chef-created recipes. The mouth-watering, warm-weather recipes are inspired by local outdoor dining destinations and favourite summer food items. With locals already enjoying their outdoor grills, it's no surprise that when the President's Choice® team asked British Columbians what foods they were looking forward to indulging in this summer they said juicy beef burgers (67 per cent), sweet, fresh fruit (64 per cent), velvety ice cream (61 per cent), healthy veggie platters (60 per cent), and mouth-watering cheeses (50 per cent).
When it comes to everyday outdoor dining, British Columbians enjoy staying close to home with 79 per cent stating their backyard or other home-based outdoor space is their favourite place to enjoy a meal, followed by the beach (38 per cent), campgrounds (28 per cent) and provincial parks (28 per cent).
The President's Choice® team has partnered with some of Canada's top chefs to create locally-inspired dishes using PC® products that are perfect for outdoor summer dining – whether it's a backyard barbeque, a picnic in the park or a beach-side grill.
"In British Columbia, people's love of the outdoors is evident by their active use of our amazing beaches, mountains, lakes and parks," says Chef Trevor Bird, executive chef at Fable in Vancouver and previous contestant on Top Chef Canada. "When I was challenged by the President's Choice® team to develop recipes inspired by British Columbian's favourite outdoor dining destinations, I wanted to create options that incorporated their favourite foods and catered to their on-the-go lifestyles."
To provide Chef Bird with even more inspiration, the President's Choice® team surveyed residents of British Columbia's two largest cities – Vancouver and Victoria – to determine their top dining destinations.
Kits Beach took the top place in Vancouver (38 per cent) followed closely by Spanish Banks Beach (32 per cent), Third Beach (18 per cent), Trout Lake Park (10 per cent) and lastly Locarno Beach (3 per cent). While in Victoria, nearly half of respondents stated Beacon Hill Park (47 per cent) as their favourite destination followed by Willows Beach (20 per cent), Thetis Lake Provincial Park (12 per cent), Sooke Potholes Provincial Park (11 per cent) and lastly Clover Point (10 per cent).
With Vancouver's love of the beach top of mind, Chef Bird created a mouth-watering PC® Double Decker Beef Burger with PC® Kettle Cooked Applewood Smoked Bacon Flavour Potato Chips, and a Summer Layered Salad with PC® Whole Wheat Naan Rounds Croutons that is easy to transport and makes a great summer appetizer before a BBQ. For a refreshing dessert on a hot summer day that is great for kids (young and old), Chef Bird developed the PC® Ice Cream Shop Flavours Watermelon Crunch Ice Cream Float.
While the President's Choice® team asked Chef Bird to create the ultimate outdoor dining dishes, the range of new PC® products are available this summer at Real Canadian Superstore® allowing anyone to create a quick and unique meal suited for their city, province, neighbourhood or family's tastes. Whether you pile the new PC® Double Decker Burger high with toppings, create your own picnic dips with PC® Whole Wheat Naan Rounds Buns or grab PC® Ice Cream Shop Flavours while you're on the run, the choice is yours to get the most out of al fresco dining and entertaining this summer. Learn more about all things summer at pc.ca and join the conversation using the hashtag #pcsummer.
Check out pc.ca for more sensational summer treats and entertaining ideas. In British Columbia, President's Choice® products are available at Real Canadian Superstore®, Loblaws® City Market, Extra Foods®, No Frills®, T&T Supermarket® and Wholesale Club®.
Website: www.pc.ca, www.realcanadiansuperstore.ca
Facebook: President's Choice
Twitter & Instagram: @PresChoice #PCSummer
Chef Bird's full recipe and accompaniment suggestions, as well as product samples and high resolution images are available upon request.
National Survey (n=3000)
From May 27th to May 30th, 2015 an online survey was conducted among 3,021 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 1.8%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to education, age, gender and region (and in Quebec, language) Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
City-Specific Survey (n=1950)
From May 27th to June 1st, 2015 an online survey was conducted among 1,972 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. There were approximately n=150 respondents in each of Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Ottawa, St. John's, and Halifax. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.2%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to age, gender and region. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
About Loblaw Companies Limited
Loblaw Companies Limited is Canada's food and pharmacy leader, the nation's largest retailer, and the majority unit holder of Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, banking, and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,300 corporate, franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees, and Associate-owners employ approximately 192,000 full- and part-time employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers.
Loblaw's purpose – Live Life Well – puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the companies' stores. Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed those needs in many ways: convenient locations; more than 1,050 grocery stores that span the value spectrum from discount to specialty; full-service pharmacies at more than 1,250 Shoppers Drug Mart® and Pharmaprix® locations and more than 500 Loblaw locations; PC Financial® no-fee banking; affordable Joe Fresh® fashion and family apparel; and three of Canada's top consumer brands in Life Brand®, no name® and President's Choice®. Through the PC Plus® and Shoppers Optimum® loyalty programs, more than one in every three Canadians are rewarded for shopping with the companies.
SOURCE Loblaw Companies Limited
Crystal Kwon, Crystal.kwon@citizenrelations.com, 604.647.2985Copyright CNW Group 2015