How to Use this Site
Welcome to the Canada Specialty Food Directory!
This document outlines how the directory is structured and how best to use it to find specialty food suppliers in British Columbia.
The Canada Specialty Food Directory is best viewed at a monitor resolution of 1024x768, but will function with minimal scrolling at 800x600.
How the directory is structured
The directory contains information about British Columbia "specialty food suppliers" including their contact information, list of available products, seasonal availability of products, and the provincial regions they supply to.
There are two ways to access the information - by using the search forms on the left hand side of every page, or by using the map to select a region and drill down through the various categories. Both of these options are detailed below.
Using the Map
The map is divided into the 8 regional districts of British Columbia, as defined by the provincial government.
By selecting one of the regions, you will then see a list of the main product categories included within the database, each of which will contain relevant subcategories.
Once you have selected your desired category, you will be presented with a list of all suppliers that fit that category who supply to that particular region. The supplier may or may not be located in that region, but they have indicated that they are able to supply their products to customers there.
Using the Search features
There are two different search features available for searching the directory - 'Product Type' search and 'Keyword & Company Name' search. Both types provide the option of refining the search to a specific region and, for produce, the seasonal availability, both of which are described in detail below.
'Product Type' search
Use the 'Product Type' search to view a list of all companies that supply products within a main product category.
You can narrow your search by using either of the optional filters - 'Regional Availability' selector or 'Produce Seasonal Availability' selector.
'Keyword & Company Name' search
The 'Keyword & Company Name' search allows you to search the directory for a specific word or combination of words. This feature will look for the search word(s) in the following areas:
- company name
- company notes
- product category
- product description
You may combine the 'Keyword & Company Name' search with the optional filters - 'Regional Availability' selector or 'Produce Seasonal Availability' selector.
'Regional Availability' selector
Not all suppliers in the Canada Specialty Food Directory are capable of supplying their products to every region in Canada, so this filter allows you to target your search.
Using the 'Regional Availability' selector with either the 'Product Type' or 'Keyword & Company Name' searches will return a list of suppliers whose products are available to the selected region.
As an example, if you are a buyer for a chain of restaurants with a common menu and locations in each region of BC, you may want to select 'BC' from the 'Region' selector along with your main search criteria. You will be provided with a list of all suppliers who are capable of supplying the desired product in each region of BC. The same would apply for other provinces.
By not choosing a region from the list, your search will return a list of all suppliers of the product, with no regional bias.
'Produce Seasonal Availability' selector
If you are searching the directory for produce, you can use the 'Produce Seasonal Availability' selector to display only those suppliers whose product is available during specific seasons.