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Yellowstone National Park general stores highlight use of 150 local and domestic vendors as part of White House’s ‘Made in America’ week

Concessioner Delaware North holds vendor fairs to fill stores with 5,400 different items made in the United States 

WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. (July 18, 2017) – Delaware North, which operates the Yellowstone General Stores for the National Park Service, is highlighting the more than 150 American vendors whose goods are carried in the 12 stores in Yellowstone National Park.
 
The focus comes on the heels of the White House’s announcement that it has designated this week as “Made in America” week.
 
The Yellowstone General Stores carry more than 5,400 items made in the United States, many originating from more than 75 vendors and suppliers located in a 500-mile radius of Yellowstone National Park. More than 30 U.S. states are represented, with notable local vendors including PDB Bear Pottery & Arts (Buffalo, Wyo.), Daphne Lorna Jewelry (Missoula, Mont.), Rhonda Stark Apparel (Park City, Utah) and A Touch of Glass (Idaho Falls, Idaho).
 
“People visit Yellowstone National Park from all over the United States and the world, and discovering local products during their stay and bringing home apparel, art works and mementos that are authentic to the park and the region are all part of the experience they are seeking,” said Derek Zwickey, regional vice president for Delaware North’s parks and resorts business.
 
Delaware North’s commitment to showcasing local vendors was on display last February, when the company hosted its first-ever local vendor fair for the general stores in an effort to increase the unique offerings available to the millions of visitors to Yellowstone National Park each year.
 
In a Shark Tank-style competition, vendors from Idaho, Montana and Wyoming were each given 20 minutes to present their unique products to a panel of Delaware North judges. The event drew 100 applications from throughout the region, 60 of which were selected to participate in the fair.
 
Following the event, 19 local vendors were selected to sell their products in the Yellowstone General Stores. Fourteen additional vendors were offered the opportunity to participate in Delaware North’s Pathways to Yellowstone program, in which local vendors are allowed guest visits into the general stores to sell their products in a market-type setting.
 
The emphasis on local goods is a hallmark of Delaware North’s proprietary environmental stewardship program, GreenPath®. The GreenPath program includes interpretive and educational efforts designed to share the remarkable history and stories about the special places in which Delaware North operates through its dining, décor, activities, services, facilities and retail operations.

Delaware North further demonstrated its commitment to promoting and preserving the local resources of Yellowstone National Park in 2016 when the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council awarded the company a Zero Waste Certificate for its environmentally friendly operation of the Yellowstone General Stores warehouse. The highly acclaimed certification was the first for a facility within the United States’ 58 national parks.
 
“Made in America” week highlights U.S. manufacturing, workers and companies that sell products that are made in America.
 
About Delaware North's parks and resorts business
Delaware North Parks and Resorts is a global leader in the hospitality industry, operating lodging, food and beverage and retail services, recreational activities, and educational programming at destinations throughout North America and Australia. Delaware North operates in many of the United States’ iconic national and state parks, including Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Niagara Falls State Park, as well as at cultural attractions such as Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex. Its portfolio also includes luxury resorts in Australia. To learn more about Delaware North’s hospitality management expertise, visit http://www.delawarenorth.com/parks-and-resorts-home.aspx.
 
About Delaware North
Delaware North is one of the largest privately-held hospitality and food service companies in the world. Founded in 1915 and owned by the Jacobs family for more than 100 years, Delaware North has global operations at high-profile places such as sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks, destination resorts and restaurants, airports, and regional casinos. Our thousands of employee associates are dedicated to creating special experiences one guest at a time in serving more than 500 million guests annually. Delaware North has annual revenue of about $3 billion in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurants and catering, parks, resorts, gaming, and specialty retail industries. Learn more about Delaware North at www.delawarenorth.com.

 
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