As 2016 gets underway, northern Michigan's food industry players are expanding into bigger markets, serving up new products and bringing even more attention to the region with national awards.

TC-based Taste the Local Difference (TLD) is increasing its efforts to expand its program statewide. TLD, which works to bring more locally-produced foods into the market, began expansion efforts in 2015 into Washtenaw County. Bill Palladino, the project director, recently returned from Lansing and says the program has also looked into or been contacted by the Detroit and Grand Rapids areas, northeastern Lower Peninsula, and the Upper Peninsula. “Our goal is to have half the counties by the end of 2016,” he says.

Palladino says selling communities on local foods isn’t necessarily easy. “You walk into any bar in Michigan and ask for a local beer, the waitress will give you a list of ten different ones. If you ask for local food, they’ll look at you like you’re crazy.”

He says TLD has to work first with local food producers before they can take their efforts to the food outlets, whether that is retail stores, restaurants, wholesalers or hospitals. “We don’t want to displace anybody," Palladino adds. "We want to partner, provide connectivity."

In its efforts to open a second store on the east side of town at the former Williamsburg Dinner Theatre, local natural food grocer Oryana launched a member capital campaign called “Here We Grow” in November. The drive raised $429,000. “It was gratifying, and we so appreciated that so many members were that committed to supporting their co-op,” says Steve Nance, general manager.

“We have been working on the lease with the landlord and are working with our design team and consultants to better understand costs and infrastructure details," says Nance. "We also have been refining the financial projections and reviewing all the many considerations of this large project.”

The new Lucky’s Market at the Buffalo Ridge Center (the former outlet mall) is scheduled to open late this year, according to developer Joe Sarafa. He says renovation of the old theater complex - where the market will be located - won’t begin until mid-February. “It’s about an eight-month build-out, so (the opening date) is probably the fourth quarter,” he says.

Ben Friedland, vice president for marketing for Lucky’s, notes that with so many new stores in the pipeline, the chain first needs to devote its resources to those that are on deck before shifting its resources to the Traverse City operation.

Lucky’s is a Boulder, Colorado-based operation, offering a variety of organic and natural foods and bulk foods as well as what it calls the “less-than-healthy, but oh-so-good ingredients we all grew up with and still love.” It also has a bakery and prepared foods. Sarafa adds that the store will apply for a license to serve beer and wine.

Winners for the 2016 Good Food Awards were recently announced in San Francisco - and included three companies from the region. Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales won for its Maracaibo Especial. Just Good Chocolate of Leland won for its Madagascar 70% bar, while American Spoon won for its Chocolate Fudge Sauce, Wild Thimbleberry Jam & Wild Elderberry Jelly, as well as its Ramp Kimchi, a cooperative effort with the Brinery of Ann Arbor. The companies were among 1,927 entrants in 13 categories. Winners must meet criteria regarding sustainability and social responsibility to win a Good Food Award.

Just Good Chocolate is also working on a name change/rebrand and is in search of space in Traverse City to open a retail chocolate “factory” and café tasting room. “Traverse City is such a wonderful area for unique and carefully crafted food and drink, so I think we will fit right in,” says owner and chocolate maker Nichole Warner.

Finally, Honor-based specialty food purveyor Food for Thought has a new rebranded look - just in time for the company's 20th anniversary. “While we’ve always provided certified organic and other certifications, such as Fair Trade, Kosher, Gluten Free and more," says CEO Timothy Young, "they are now on the front of the jars where they can be more easily identified by customers." The new company labels also display the individual jar count and batch size of each product. "Same products, same values, just a new face," says Young.