The Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, working in conjunction with the Philadelphia-based public relations firm Tierney Agency, escorted five national food and beverage beat writers to the Lehigh Valley on Oct. 1 for a discussion with representatives of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation – and a next-day tour of Just Born and Nestle Waters.

The quintet of writers represented these publications and websites: Candy Industry, Food Manufacturing, Food Processing, Sustainable Plant and Industry Week. They came from as far away as Santa Barbara, Calif., Cleveland, Ohio, and Chicago and Itasca, Ill. to check out the local food and beverage sector.

The tour group checked in at Hotel Bethlehem for their pre-tour dinner with LVEDC. They had already spent a day touring Delaware Valley food and beverage manufacturers Yards Brewing Co., Vincent Giordano Corp., and Ottens Flavors.

Representing LVEDC at the dinner meeting were President and CEO Don Cunningham, Vice President of Economic Development Jarrett Witt, Vice President of Marketing John McGran, and Joseph Uliana of J.M. Uliana & Associates.

Cunningham held court, informing the guests about the City of Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley in general. Each guest was given a packet that listed the many food and beverage companies in Lehigh Valley – and a copy of Cunningham’s most current column for Lehigh Valley Business.

That feature – titled “Food and Beverage Sector Leads the Way” – noted:

“There are 46 companies in the Lehigh Valley that produce food products and 11 that make beverages. Those production facilities employ more than 3,500 workers and pay a total of $180 million per year in wages to Lehigh Valley workers.

“The list of brands and products made here is like a Who’s Who review down the grocery aisles: Coca-Cola, Powerade, vitaminwater, A.1. Steak Sauce, Grey Poupon, Pepsi, Deer Park, Nestle Water, Poland Springs, Bazzini peanuts, Mike and Ike, Ocean Spray, Sara Lee, Pepperidge Farm, Entenmann’s, and Samuel Adams.

“Little by little, the Lehigh Valley has become a hub on the East Coast for the production of food and beverage products,” Cunningham said.

The full story can be found here.

So far, the visit has spawned a national feature on the Nestle Waters plan in Breinigsville.

In 2014, LVEDC intends to host similar visits for national writers who cover other sectors of the local economy.