Welcome to ‘Foodtopia’, more work of Asheville’s marketing masterminds

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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We all know that Asheville is a restaurant town. People love to eat out here. Now the fine folks at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce are capitalizing on that intense interest in food by creating a Foodtopian Society.

It’s marketing genius, really – an online one-stop shop that offers everything from interviews with farmers and chefs to recipes, tips, videos, photos and more. Click here to go to Foodtopia.

Here’s a bit from the chamber’s Foodtopian Society web site:

In the Foodtopian Society, we believe food can be much more than just what we eat to survive. It can be an invigorating centerpiece of daily life, a constant source of inspiration and fulfillment. It can change your life, or at least lift your spirits.
We believe food can be naturally grown, artfully produced and lovingly prepared, all within one vibrant community. We believe the long, relaxing meal is long overdue for a comeback. Today, we keep the tradition alive. We believe anyone can experience Foodtopian bliss. All you need is a passion for great food, and a few days to spend in Asheville, N.C.

This isn’t the first time that Asheville’s marketers have tried to capitalize on Asheville’s food scene. A year or so ago, the chamber offered to pay for food bloggers to come to Asheville, stay for a weekend, eat out and then blog about it all.

All in all, the Foodtopian Society’s pretty clever. And they’ve already gotten the travel writers at PlanetOut.com to link to it.