FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
For more information contact:
Holly VonLuehrte
(502) 573-0450

 

Alaska patterns Restaurant Rewards program after popular Kentucky Proud initiative

FRANKFORT, Ky. — A Kentucky program that partially reimburses restaurants for buying Kentucky Proud foods has been copied in Alaska.

The Alaska Division of Agriculture launched its own Restaurant Rewards program late last year after Angela Caporelli, coordinator of the Kentucky Proud Restaurant Rewards Program, told Alaska officials about Kentucky’s program.

“We are flattered that Alaska officials thought so much of our Restaurant Rewards program that they decided to start one of their own,” Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said. “Angela and the other marketing specialists at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture have done the hard work of creating and refining a program that’s worthwhile for restaurateurs while it also promotes the use of Kentucky Proud foods. I’m pleased to see that the good people of Alaska are following our example.”

The Kentucky Proud Restaurant Rewards Program is open to any Kentucky restaurant that purchases Kentucky Proud products that have direct Kentucky farm impact and promotes the use of Kentucky Proud products and agriculture. Participating restaurants may be reimbursed for up to 20 percent of the value of their Kentucky Proud purchases.

The Kentucky Proud Restaurant Rewards Program reimbursed more than $129,000 to 170 participating restaurants in 2011, amounting to a farm impact of more than $885,000.

For more information on the Kentucky Proud Restaurant Rewards Program, go to www.kyagr.com/marketing/restrewards.