All the Food Products at the White House 'Made in America' Showcase
President Donald Trump kicked off his administration's new 'Made in America' initiative, a week of events celebrating goods produced in the United States, at the White House on Monday. At the first event, the administration showcased a series of American-made products, including many from the food and beverage categories.
“We want to build, create and grow more products in our country, using American labor, American goods, and American grit," the president said of the showcase, according to Fox News.
Some critics of the event were quick to point out that many products in his daughter Ivanka’s fashion line (along with the president's former line of neckties and other clothes) are made overseas. Nevertheless, the showcase did spotlight one American-made product from all 50 states.
Many larger corporations, including Campbell’s Soup, made the cut for the event, along with some small businesses, like New Hampshire’s Cider Belly Doughnuts, which operates under the tagline, “Doughnuts for the people and by the people.”
For some companies, the decision to participate proved difficult. Rhode Island-based Narragansett Beer’s president Mark Hellendrung told the Boston Globe that he decided to participate because he believes strongly in American products and “independent business,” even though some fans of the beer may not the supporters of the president himself.
Hellendrung said that his desicion to participate "was something we considered long and hard and it wasn’t necessarily easy,” but he and his company eventually decided to “honor the White House,” and that he was happy to be a part of an event that gave “some great recognition [to] some awesome brands.”
Here are all the food and food-related products that were on display at the 'Made in America' showcase:
California: The California Wine Institute
Georgia: Chick-fil-A
Hawaii: Koloa Rum Co.
Maryland: Heath Crab Pots
Montana: Simms Fishing
Nevada: Kimmie Candy
New Hampshire: Cider Belly Doughnuts
New Jersey: Campbell’s Soup
North Carolina: Cheerwine
Rhode Island: Narragansett Brewing Company
Vermont: Dubie Family Maple
Washington: Liberty Bottleworks
West Virginia: Homer Laughlin China