Photo: Flickr/BC gov't

B.C.'s food business is booming, selling more products outside of Canada in 2015 than ever before.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, exports reached a record $3.5 billion in 2015, and that number is anticipated to grow as the governments of Canada and British Columbia continue efforts to promote B.C. food overseas.

“The partnership between the B.C. and federal governments and B.C. food companies has resulted in a 20 per cent growth in exports in one year,” said Norm Letnick, agriculture minister.

One way the two governments are working with B.C. companies to build the growth in exports from 2014 is through an Export Ready Business Catalogue.

The catalogue features close to 100 B.C. producers of fruits and vegetables, seafood, meat, packaged food, natural health products and beverage makers, and all of them are ready to sell.

Each profile includes an introduction to the company or association and their products, their current export markets, and markets they are interested in expanding to.

The guide represents B.C.’s diverse agri-food and seafood sector, and includes everything from sea urchins to cereals, and waffles to wine.

The guides will be available in multiple languages, online and at trade offices and shows.

B.C. companies exported more than 600 types of foods to over 150 markets in 2015.