With a laugh, Premier David Eby said you can't come to Kelowna without having a tasting.
So, while at Farming Karma in Kelowna on Wednesday, the premier sipped non-alcoholic sparkling pear juice with co-owners and brothers Sumeet and Abi Gill.
"That's beautiful," said Eby after raising the glass to his mouth.
"This is delicious, high-quality, locally grown product."
The tasting at Karma's orchard and shop at 1160 McKenzie Rd. in Rutland was a precursor to Eby announcing $6.75 million in provincial government funding for four Southern Interior manufacturing businesses to grow and create 100 more jobs.
The premier chose Farming Karma for the ceremony because the maker of non-alcoholic fruit juices and mocktails and alcoholic sparklers is a poster child for the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund.
Karma previously received $2 million to buy new equipment, increase production, grow its product lines, bring some processing in-house and expand sales.
In fact, the push has led to Karma getting shelf space at major retailers like Costco and Walmart, hiring 20 more people and looking to employ a dozen more.
Karma started just a few years ago, selling its fruit sodas at farmers' markets.
It quickly caught on and its expanded line of drinks are available at wineries, breweries, restaurants, liquor stores and grocery stores throughout BC and across Canada.
"Through our Look West plan, we are helping BC businesses grow, produce more of what makes them great, reach more customers and create good sustainable jobs for people throughout the province," said Eby.
Karma is named after patriarch orchardist Karma Gill, who, along with his sons Sumeet and Abi and Abi's wife, Binni, owns and operates the business.
"As a family business, we are proud to deliver high-quality, made-in-BC beverages to customers across the country, while significantly reducing waste by upcycling imperfect fruit," said Abi Gill.
"This investment has allowed us to expand our product offerings, more than double our production, access new markets and create meaningful local jobs."
The $6.75 million announced Wednesday will go to:
- Mako Wood Furniture in Surrey will receive up to $5.5 million to build a new facility in Merritt, creating 29 jobs.
- Good Way Homes, a prefabricated home builder, can access $625,000 to build a new manufacturing facility in Malakwa, buy equipment and increase production, creating 27 new jobs.
- Dinoflex, which uses recycled rubber to make flooring and tiles, will get $410,000 to upgrade its Salmon Arm facility, increase production, snag new customers and create seven new jobs.
- Kinetic Custom Trailers in Penticton, the makers of heavy-duty industrial trailers, will receive $216,000 to expand to an additional facility, increase production and efficiency and hire 38 more staff.
The BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund has $1.2 billion to invest in 156 projects.
The projects are expected to generate $17 billion in new economic activity.
So far, the fund has spent $154 million, protected 2,700 jobs and created 2,100 more.
"I always love seeing great local companies grow and create jobs," said Kelowna-Mission Conservative MLA Gavin Dew.
" But the harsh reality is that the NDP has raised red tape and taxes and cratered small business confidence, most recently with a $600M a year PST hike. Now they expect a standing ovation for giving some taxpayer dollars back from a slush fund we all paid for. I think most businesses -- including the ones that got funding today -- would rather government focus less on political photo ops and more on creating fundamental conditions for investment and job creation. The best economic development strategy for BC would be a change in government."
