Australia Week 2006, fondly known as G’Day LA, is a week long event from the 14th to the 22nd January 2006. The G’day LA week primarily showcases all things Australian; from food and wine, film, arts, lifestyle, trade, investment to indigenous Aboriginal culture and tourism.

Apart from the Penfolds’ Gala event dinner where Australian ingredients and produce are flown in directly from Australia specifically for the event, the real food event is the Australian Made Campaign Food and Beverage Trade Day at the Luxe Hotel, Bel Air on the 20th January 2006.
The Australian Week food and beverage trade event is designed to promote the best of Australian food and beverage to American food distributors and buyers from supermarkets, restaurants and caterers. Last year the Australia Week food and beverage trade event directly contributed to over $45 million in US export deals for Australian food and wine producers. This year there is over 80 Australian food and wine companies exhibiting with invitations to over 400 American food distributors and buyers from supermarkets, restaurants and caterers.

Apart from the G’Day LA trade only event, retail customers of 11 Bristol Farms supermarkets throughout Los Angeles will offered Australian made products as well as Australian beef and lamb barbecues. Due to the success of last year’s promotion, Bristol Farms has expanded the 2006 Australia Week promotion to include a total of 28 Australian product lines, up from 18 last year. The Bristol Farms Australian range includes Australian seafood, beef and dairy products with premium products including Australian Wagyu Sirloin beef, premium Australian Lamb and Mulloway Sea Bass fillet. “This is the second year Bristol Farms has sought to bring the best from Australia to our shores. G’Day LA: Australia Week 2006 and the promotion with Bristol Farms provide a great way for us to ensure that at least once a year, Angelenos get to taste, feel, wear, hear and see the best from Down Under, without ever leaving Los Angeles” says Kylie Hargreaves of Austrade.

G’Day LA, Australia Week 2006 is produced by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Tourism Australia, Austrade, and Qantas Airways in conjunction with State Governments and key private sector sponsors.

Both Vic Cherikoff and I will be in Los Angeles for Australia Week as well as San Francisco for the Fancy Food Show and meetings in San Diego and Las Vegas. If you would like to meet and catch-up, drop me an email and I’ll send you our schedule.