Okanagan distillery turning liquor sales into hot meals over the holidays

Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery has kicked off its Holiday Hot Meals campaign, in which the Vernon and Kelowna distillery donates three hot meals for every spirits advent calendar or full-sized bottle sold.

The distillery started the charitable campaign in 2019 in an effort to give back to members of the community who could use a boost during the holiday season .

Now in its third year, the campaign continues to grow thanks to the success of the buy-local movement in the Okanagan.

“We launch this campaign each year on Black Friday weekend to put a different kind of twist on the usual mad consumerism that is wrapped up in that day and the whole holiday spending push”, said Tyler Dyck, CEO of the distillery. “It’s really quite simple; we ‘pay it forward’ by donating on behalf of those who wish to treat those on their holiday shopping list to a fine whisky, gin or vodka, or even that perfect holiday spirits advent calendar, but also like to know that their purchase goes towards making the holidays a little bit nicer for those that are less fortunate.”

Over the last few years the distillery has been able to donate the funds to provide thousands of hot meals to Vernon’s Upper Room Mission and the Kelowna Gospel Mission.