ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida businesses are now finding their products inside some of the city's most popular hotels.
- 'Flavor by Loews' brings locals artisans to hotel guests
- Hotels are selling products from local business
- Top chef says selecting businesses is 'highly competitive'
"This is the biggest thing so far," Matt Stetson said, passionately. He's a sixth-generation cider maker with Accomplice Brewery & Ciderworks.
Beverages from Stetson's West Palm Beach company are now part of that Orlando Leows family.
"When that call came in inviting us, it took a moment for it to kind of click in, really," he smiled.
"Flavor by Loews" makes eating like a local easier by bringing local artisans to guests right in the hotel. Stetson created a cider that's only available at Portofino Bay.
"These ideas of marrying lemon and basil together, it's not new," Stetson said. "It's actually very traditional to that area and we wanted to be very traditional while tying in a local connectivity to that."
Jim Wood raises pigs on his Avon Park farm.
"I don't know where we'd be without Loews," the Palmetto Creek Farms owner told Spectrum News. "They do a pig roast once a week at Sapphire Falls, and they do a luau at Royal Pacific with our roaster pigs."
All four spirits by St. Augustine Distillery are in the hotels as well.
"It kind of just blew me away and put me in such a space of gratitude and appreciation," said St. Augustine Distillery CEO & co-founder, Philip McDaniel.
Portifino Bay's top chef, Leon Teow, says selecting these businesses is a highly competitive process. He wants lots of exclusivity.
"Some guests, they ask, 'This gelato, where does it come from?' I say it's local. It's an Italian family, local, based in Tampa [Duomo Gelato]. They create it for us."
Casselberry-based Olde Hearth Bread Company is another partner. Guests can try their breads (focaccia, ciabatta, multigrain, brioche potato rolls) in a sandwich at Sal’s Market Deli, for instance, at Portofino Bay.
Loews includes Portofino Bay, Sapphire Falls, the Hard Rock Hotel, Cabana Bay and the Royal Pacific Resort.