Publication date: July 27, 2022 • 33 minutes ago • 1 minute read • 27 comments A script of Valbella Gourmet Foods in Canmore, Alberta Photo by Google Streetview
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A Canmore food company is in hot water over a transphobic response to a Canmore Pride donation request.
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The pride team wrote an email to Valbella Gourmet Foods hoping for a donation for an upcoming barbecue. In response they received an email signed by “Jeff von Rotz,” who identified himself as the owner of the deli: “I’m sorry to say it, but you couldn’t pay me to endorse anything to do with childcare crisps. “Please keep these sick people away from the children of this community, you should be disgusting.” After the email was posted on social media, several companies including Calgary’s Sunterra Market, The Banff Center and Fairmont Hotels announced they would either no longer do business with Valbella or reconsider their business relationship.
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Later Tuesday afternoon, Valbella released a statement on Twitter from owners and management expressing their deepest apologies to the Canmore LBGTQ+ community for the “intolerant email sent today by one of our former team members. The person in charge has been removed from the company and its activities.”
