Montreal, April 29, 2019 – What better way to celebrate an upcoming weekend than a sampling of snow crab and other delicious treats specially prepared for the occasion by Master Chef Hugo Saint Jacques of Doc619? That’s just what 300 QPMA members did on Thursday, April 25, at our second annual Crabe & Reconnaissance (Crab & Recognition) evening – a rewarding event for all concerned.
Montreal, April 29, 2019 – What better way to celebrate an upcoming weekend than a sampling of snow crab and other delicious treats specially prepared for the occasion by Master Chef Hugo Saint Jacques of Doc619? That’s just what 300 QPMA members did on Thursday, April 25, at our second annual Crabe & Reconnaissance (Crab & Recognition) evening – a rewarding event for all concerned.
The evening opened with a gourmet cocktail reception and buffet – a special springtime opportunity for QPMA members to meet and greet some of their favourite customers, old friends, and valued suppliers. “We’re also proud to say that 62 guests this year were members of our Next-Generation program,” said QPMA president and CEO Sophie Perreault.
Board president Dino Farrese of Bellemont Powell formally opened the program with a warm welcome to one and all, followed by Sophie Perreault, who introduced our new members and expressed her gratitude to the QPMA representatives, official volunteers, and directors who were actively involved in the association over the past year. Sophie also had special words of thanks for our dedicated QPMA financial partners, and our partners in the I Love Fruits and Veggies Movement.
Perhaps the biggest news of the evening was the official announcement of a $400,000 grant from the Quebec government for the deployment of the I Love Fruits and Veggies Movement. This financial assistance is part of the Politique gouvernementale de prévention en santé (PGPS), the government’s preventive health policy, one of whose aims is to have more than half of Quebec’s population consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables a day by 2025. This government support will help the QPMA develop and implement a host of activities to promote fruit and vegetable consumption in Quebec, including communications strategies to reach vulnerable population groups.
Last but not least among the events during an evening of camaraderie and shared gratitude were the honours presented by the QPMA, the largest business network and leading association in Quebec’s fruit and vegetable sector, in recognition of seven industry figures.
Here are the winners in their categories for 2019:
- Our Favourite Volunteer: Catherine Hamel (Clark Drouin Lefebvre)
- Best Attendance Record at QPMA Meetings: Jacques Demers (Demers)
- The Member Most Committed to Their Business: Gilbert Junior Pigeon (Fermes Roland Pigeon et Fils)
- Sponsor We Can Always Count On: Antonio Bono (Chenail)
- Number One Ambassador for the I Love Fruits and Veggies Movement: Josée Petitclerc (Patates Dolbec)
- Discovery of the Year: Annie Gagnon (Cultures de Chez-Nous)
- Leadership Apple of One’s Eye: Marie de Tarlé Salmon (QPMA)
All told, it was a real watershed evening – a major turning point for fruit and vegetable promotion in Quebec, one that really raises the bar for the kind of networking that gets our spring season off to a terrific start.
The QPMA would like to thank all our super sponsors, key partners, and (needless to say) participants who once more made this networking event such a great success. We look forward to seeing you all again in 2020 for an even more exciting and rewarding edition.
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For official photos of this year’s Crabe & Recognition Evening, please Click here.
