Recognizing Businesses That Follow Good, Clean & Fair Practices in Western Washington State

THE DETAILS

The Snail of Approval award is a recognition given to food and beverage establishments in western Washington that are pursuing and practicing Slow Food values in their businesses. Awardees are food producers who contribute to the quality, authenticity, and sustainability of our local foodways and are regarded as outstanding among peers.

Unlike other food awards, the Snail of Approval is always awarded locally and through the lens of a sustainable food system. The award is based on evaluations focused on the following six areas:

• Sourcing

• Environmental Impact

• Cultural Connection

• Community Involvement

• Staff Support

• Business Values

OUR GOAL

Our goal is to recognize the impact of vital food organizations and create nationwide awareness of food-related businesses practicing Slow Food values. We can generate greater support for these important businesses by eating, participating, volunteering, patronizing, donating, and spreading the word about their good work.

WHO SHOULD APPLY? READ THIS FIRST

The Slow Food Greater Olympia and Slow Food Seattle chapters have joined together to increase our award area to include the following counties: Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, King, Pierce, Thurston, Mason, Lewis, and Grays Harbor. We encourage applications from food producers in these counties who:

• Have been in business for at least one year

• Create food products that are publicly available

• Are pursuing and practicing Slow Food values of good, clean, and fair food for all

This includes, but is not limited to restaurants, cafés, bakeries, caterers, coffee shops, food trucks, markets, farms, farm stands, ranches, fisheries, bars, breweries, wineries, distilleries, cooking schools, and value-added food producers.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

STEP 1: SUBMIT AN APPLICATION

• We accept applications between January 1 and February 10. Food producers must be in business for at least one year and their products must be publicly available to be eligible.

• Our new application is conversational and takes about 30-45 minutes to complete. It includes a combination of multiple choice questions and short written responses (no formal essays) that give applicants an opportunity to highlight the work they’re doing and teh values that guide it.

• If you’d like to check out the application before getting started, here is a preview.

• When you’re ready, APPLY HERE.

STEP 2: FOLLOW-UP PROCESS

• In February, a member of our Snail of Approval committee will contact applicants who qualify for a 30-minute virtual follow-up interview. This is a great opportunity for us to get to know you and your good business practices a little better.

• The committee uses a scorecard to guide the conversation. Here is an example SCORECARD we use for restaurants, bakeries, caterers, and food trucks.

• Based on the criteria, the Snail of Approval Committee will recommend awardees to the Slow Food Seattle or Slow Food Greater Olympia board of directors for final approval.

STEP 3: AWARD & RECOGNITION

By receiving a Snail of Approval award, you join a local and national network of like-minded food producers and champions promoting a sustainable food system. As an award recipient, you will:

• Receive a letter of congratulations, a certificate, a Snail of Approval decal for your place of business, digital assets for menus, signage, and other online platforms

• Be featured in Slow Food’s newsletter, website, and social media platforms; and

• Gain national attention through inclusion on Slow Food USA’s map and directory

QUESTIONS OR NOMINATIONS

If you have a question about the program or want to tell us about a favorite food producer who practices Slow Food values and who you think would be a great fit the for the Snail of Approval, contact us at goslowfood@gmail.com or simply click the button below. We’d love to hear from you.