Global Food Alaska: growing annual conference.

• Author: Stomierowski, Peg
• Position: INTERNATIONAL TRADE

As tourism ramps into high gear, seasonal currents are luring supply chain managers this month to the Kenai Peninsula to mingle--and create new jingle--at the biennial Global Food Alaska conference and showcase in Soldotna, a grassroots production initiative for decision-makers that is growing up into more of a permanent sustainability network.

Participants are rubbing shoulders June 8 and 9 at an exposition both days at the Sports Center and a dinner and awards ceremony June 9 at Kenai Landing Resort. An optional, full-day site tour is set up for Homer June 10, visiting the Auction Block (live seafood auction), Bear Creek Winery and Kachemak Shellfish Growers. Select commercial buyers/purveyors will visit Bristol Bay to explore sustainable wildlife fisheries.

Formally and informally, these food business professionals will be hooking up to discuss issues of certification, security, self-sufficiency, sustainability and economies of scale in regard to production, transportation, packaging, refrigeration, marketing, distribution and tracking issues involving Alaska's food, beverage and agricultural products. To name a few, these include hay, taco shells, potato chips, cheese, honey ciders, candies, coffee, biscotti, chocolate, jams, syrups, mustards, pickles, dog treats, beer, wine and vodka. Event registration for suppliers ranges from $525 to $625.

Global Food Collaborative, the event organizer, was started in 2007. While development of such astute communication channels among buyers and sellers might seem quite progressive, this movement has been around for 20 years in the Last Frontier. It was in part the brainchild of Robin Richardson after her early experiences working with Alaska businesses.

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A DIFFERENT TRACK

Even back then, Richardson was not new to any of this. She had been thinking about these issues for a long time, ever since she was a teenager growing up in Anchorage. John McManamin was the father of a friend and she recalls being mesmerized by his living-room lectures in business and economics in ways that other girls might have curled up for Mary K sessions.

"I just never let it go," she says.

McManamin is remembered for his role in starting local Army-Navy Surplus retail operations and also, she says, for being an early investor in Kenai Peninsula oil development. Richardson, who has a master's degree in global supply chain management, once headed the World Trade Center Alaska. She also was Anchorage...