Advantage Valley Showcases Local Food Manufacturers with Taste of Appalachia Shopping Event at South Charleston Farmer’s Market

CHARLESTON, W.Va., October 13, 2026 — Advantage Valley is inviting the public to discover, taste and shop local at the Taste of Appalachia 2026 Food Showcase, a free public event celebrating the creativity, craftsmanship and entrepreneurial spirit of some of West Virginia’s finest food producers.

The event will take place Sunday, October 18, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the South Charleston Farmer’s Market, 4006 MacCorkle Ave. SW, South Charleston, WV 25309. The afternoon will bring together the West Virginia food manufacturers and small businesses whose products are featured in this year’s Taste of Appalachia curated gift sets. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the makers from across the region, sample products, and purchase individual products directly from participating vendors. A limited number of the seven curated Taste of Appalachia gift sets will also be available for purchase at the event. Admission to the Showcase is free.

This year, the program features seven curated gift sets with products from 19 participating vendors, including 17 from the Advantage Valley region. The curated gift sets feature products made by West Virginia food producers from across Advantage Valley’s region, including Cabell, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Mason and Putnam counties, as well as participating producers from Berkeley and Webster counties.

“Taste of Appalachia is about much more than putting great food in a gift box for the holidays. It’s about telling the story of the people who make these products and creating opportunities for regional small businesses to grow and scale. When someone purchases a Taste of Appalachia gift, they are supporting a local entrepreneur, keeping dollars in our communities, and sharing a genuine taste of West Virginia with a client, friend or family member — someone they care about.”

— Terrell Ellis, President & CEO, Advantage Valley

Several participating businesses have also received support through Advantage Valley’s FASTER WV initiative, Fostering Advantages for Start-Ups & Entrepreneurial Resurgence in WV, which provides entrepreneurs with one-on-one business coaching, entrepreneurship training, technical assistance and access to capital. Taste of Appalachia builds on that work by connecting local producers with consumers and corporate buyers looking to support West Virginia businesses through their holiday gift giving.

“For a small business like ours, reaching new customers can be one of the biggest challenges. Taste of Appalachia helps introduce our products to people and businesses we might never reach on our own. We’re excited to have our products included for the second year and grateful to Advantage Valley for creating this opportunity and helping more people discover and buy what local businesses have to offer.”

— Duanne Legg of Legacy Farms out of Clay County

In addition to the buying opportunity at the showcase, The Taste of Appalachia initiative features an online shopping portal, open now through November 23, designed to make it easy for corporations, employers, professional service organizations and individuals to choose a buy-local option for holiday gifts. The complete 2026 gift set selection is available online at tasteofappalachia.com.

The seven 2026 Taste of Appalachia gift sets — $45 to $50

West Virginia Favorites – Featuring Meatball Mix by Dark Hollow Foods, Apple Cider Vinaigrette by Legacy Foods, Coal River Coffee Almost Heaven Roast, Tipsy Roo’s BUI BBQ Sauce, Sugar Bottom Farms Honey and J.Q. Dickinson Heirloom Salt.

Breakfast Essentials – Featuring Biscuit Mix and More by Tasty Blend Foods, Ronk Family Maple Syrup, Coal River Coffee Almost Heaven Roast, Honey Do Produce Granola and Jam, and Cinnamon Apple Butter by Legacy Foods.

Mountain State Snack Attack Gift Set – Featuring Sassy Gal’s Loaded Potato Dip Mix, Custard Stand Chili Seasoning, Baked Potato Popcorn by Angie’s What’s Poppin, We Be Fryin’ Pizza WheatOs, Goldilocks Grazing Dill Pickle Pub Snack Mix, Ronk’s Maple Mustard and Sassy Gal’s Bourbon Roasted Pecans.

BBQ Essentials – Featuring Ronk Maple BBQ Sauce, Tipsy Roo’s New Drunken Johnny’s Whiskey BBQ Sauce, Chef Signature Hot and Spicy BBQ Sauce and J.Q. Dickinson Smoky Mountain Rub Spice Blend.

Sweet & Salty Gift Set – Featuring J.Q. Dickinson Burnt Caramel Sauce and Heirloom Salt, Sassy Gal’s Bourbon Roasted Pecans, Oreo Popcorn by Angie’s What’s Poppin and We Be Fryin’ Cinna Locos Crunchy Wheat Twists.

Veteran-Made Gift Set – Featuring Harvest Trails Freeze-Dried Pineapple, Legacy Foods Hot Pepper Jelly, Sugar Bottom Farms Raw Wildflower Honey and Tipsy Roo’s Plastered Peach BBQ Sauce.

Appalachia Bark Box – Featuring Buddy and Beasts Paw Snacks, Tyler Creek Farm Paw and Nose Salves, and Dog Shampoo Bars, and adjustable dog collars from Follow our Lead.

Corporate bulk orders of 10 or more boxes can be placed through the order form available on the website and must be submitted by November 10. Online and corporate orders will be shipped or available for pickup during the first two weeks of December for holiday gift giving. Pickup will be available at Advantage Valley’s Charleston office from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on designated weekday pickup dates.

Advantage Valley extends its appreciation to the 2026 Taste of Appalachia Sponsors: Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, Appalachian Regional Commission, Poca Valley Bank, Joe Justice Media, Simpson Dental, West Virginia State University, West Virginia Manufacturers Association, and Huntington Chamber of Commerce.

About Advantage Valley

Advantage Valley, Inc. is a regional economic development organization whose mission is to grow economic opportunity in the Charleston-Huntington Metro Area by increasing investment in the region, leveraging resources, and building collaboration among community stakeholders. More information is available at advantagevalley.com.