Buying local Quebec products may seem simple when choosing apples, squash or seasonal vegetables, but what about oil, sauce, frozen products or even sparkling water?
The Aliments du Québec and Aliments préparés au Québec certifications help consumers better understand what is really behind a locally produced product.
Aliments du Québec or Aliments préparés au Québec?
A product certified Aliments du Québec contains at least 85% ingredients from Québec. Its main ingredients must come from Quebec, and both its processing and packaging must be done here.
The Aliments préparés au Québec designation applies instead to products that are processed and packaged in the province. Some ingredients may come from elsewhere when they cannot be produced in Quebec.
This is the case for several foods, such as coffee, cocoa and certain spices. Even if the raw ingredients come from outside Quebec, the product itself can still be processed here.
At Aubut, you can browse the Aliments du Québec and Aliments préparés au Québec selections.
A local company does not always mean a local product
It is also important to distinguish between where a company is based and where a product is made.
The AgroFusion pearl couscous sold at Aubut is a good example. The packaging indicates that it comes from a local company, while also specifying that the product is made in Lebanon and packaged in Quebec.
These certifications are therefore useful because they are awarded on a product-by-product basis. A Quebec company may offer some certified products and others that are not.
The best approach is to look for the certification logo and the information on the packaging rather than relying solely on the brand name.
Quebec products go far beyond seasonal harvests
In October, Quebec apples, squash, carrots and potatoes naturally take centre stage. But choosing local can also extend to the other aisles.
Oil produced in Quebec
Le Pré Rieur organic high-oleic sunflower oil, available at Aubut, is a good example of a product that may not immediately come to mind when looking for Quebec alternatives.
Buying local can also include everyday cooking ingredients, such as oils used for cooking, salad dressings or baking.
Recipes from elsewhere, prepared here
État Végétal vegan arancini are certified Aliments préparés au Québec.
A recipe inspired by Italian cuisine can therefore be prepared here and contribute to Quebec’s agri-food sector. Aubut offers them in a 1 kg format.
A Quebec alternative, even in the beverage aisle
Altitude water is another interesting example. Sourced in Quebec, it offers a local alternative in a category where many products come from outside the province.
Quebec alternatives are therefore not necessarily limited to the categories that first come to mind.
Replace a few products rather than your entire grocery cart
Buying more Quebec products does not mean completely changing the way you shop for groceries.
In the fall, you can start with seasonal produce, then pay more attention to oils, sauces, beverages, frozen foods and other products you buy regularly. A few simple substitutions can be enough to discover local products you may never have noticed before.
Professionals and individual shoppers can find a variety of Quebec products and formats suited to their needs at Aubut stores in Montreal and Laval.
Your next Quebec product discovery may therefore be found somewhere other than the aisle you first had in mind.
