Region of Plenty: Okanagan Food System Summit

Bringing the Okanagan food system together to connect, tackle shared challenges and turn our region’s abundance into collective action.
About this Event

Where abundance meets action.

The Okanagan is a region of extraordinary abundance.

We grow food. We produce wine. We cultivate orchards and farms. We have innovative chefs, food entrepreneurs, community organizations, Indigenous knowledge holders, educators, businesses and local leaders working throughout the food system.

And yet, alongside this abundance, our region is navigating increasing food insecurity, affordability pressures, climate impacts, agricultural challenges, food waste, infrastructure gaps and changing community needs.

What becomes possible when we bring the whole food system into the same room?

On October 20, the Region of Plenty: Okanagan Food System Summit will bring together people from across the Okanagan to explore that question.

Rather than a traditional conference where participants spend the day listening, the Summit is being designed as a working session.

We will celebrate what is already happening, strengthen relationships across sectors, explore where gaps and opportunities exist, and identify priorities that can lead to greater collaboration and action beyond the day itself.

The Summit grows from the work of the , while intentionally expanding the conversation across the broader Okanagan food system and region.

The Big Question

How do we build a regional food system where everyone benefits from the abundance around us?

Throughout the day, participants will explore the food system through five interconnected conversations:

🌱 GROW

Food Production & Stewardship

Agriculture, farmers and producers, land, Indigenous food systems, ag-tech, growing practices and the future of regional food production.

🔗 CONNECT

Infrastructure, Distribution & Access

How food moves through our region, including processing, storage, transportation, procurement, distribution and shared infrastructure.

🍎 NOURISH

Food Security, Literacy & Community Well-Being

Ensuring people have meaningful access to food while strengthening food literacy, dignity, health and community well-being.

🍽️ CELEBRATE

Local Food Economy & Community Connection

Restaurants, chefs, tourism, hospitality, local food businesses, entrepreneurship, culture and the ways food connects people to place.

♻️ SUSTAIN

Food Recovery, Circular Systems & Future Resilience

Food waste and recovery, surplus food, circular systems, climate resilience, regeneration and opportunities to make better use of the abundance we already have.

What to Expect

The day will combine connection, learning and hands-on collaboration.

Participants can expect:

• A regional look at what is changing across the Okanagan food system
• A plenary conversation exploring emerging regional food infrastructure
• Facilitated working sessions across the five Summit themes
• Opportunities to meet people working in different parts of the food system
• Local food and a focus on reducing waste
• Identification of shared challenges, opportunities and priorities
• Collaborative problem-solving and idea development
• A report-back highlighting what emerged across the five conversations
• Clear opportunities to stay involved beyond the Summit

Most importantly, this isn't intended to be a conversation that ends when everyone goes home.

We are exploring ways for priorities and challenges identified through the Summit to become the starting point for continued collaboration, innovation and problem-solving across the region.

Who Should Attend?

If you have a role in the Okanagan food system, we want you in the room.

That includes:

Farmers and producers • Indigenous partners and knowledge holders • Food processors • Distributors • Food banks and community food organizations • Chefs and restaurants • Hospitality and tourism • Food entrepreneurs • Grocery and retail • Municipalities and government • Interior Health • Educators and researchers • Students • Funders and foundations • Sustainability and environmental organizations • Economic development organizations • Technology and innovation partners • Community organizations • Residents interested in the future of our regional food system

Whether you grow food, move it, prepare it, sell it, rescue it, distribute it, study it, fund it, celebrate it or rely on it, your perspective matters.

Why Attend?

Come to:

Connect with people working across parts of the food system you may not normally encounter.Learn about initiatives, infrastructure and ideas already taking shape across the Okanagan.Share your experience of what's working, what's missing and where change is needed.Collaborate around challenges that no single organization or sector can solve alone.Help shape what comes next for greater regional food system collaboration.

Made Possible Through Partnership

Region of Plenty: Okanagan Food System Summit is made possible with backbone support from KGH Foundation through Thrive Okanagan. Their investment is helping strengthen the conditions for collaboration across the Central Okanagan food system, bringing people together to build connections, identify shared priorities, and turn those priorities into collective action.

We are also grateful to the Okanagan College Hall School of Business and Entrepreneurship, our Presenting Sponsor, for supporting the Summit and welcoming this regional conversation to Okanagan College.

The Summit is also supported by the City of Kelowna’s UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation as our Promotional Partner, helping amplify the Summit and celebrate the people, places, and initiatives strengthening our regional food system.

Together, these partnerships are helping create a space for connection, collaboration, and action across the Okanagan food system.