The mountain town of Canmore, Alta., in January 2016. Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
A popular gourmet food store with deep roots in the scenic mountain town of Kenmore, Alta., is shedding patrons and distributors after the owner’s son sent a transphobic email to the town’s Pride organization.
Jeff Von Rotz, whose email signature identifies him as the owner of Valbella Foods, responded to a request for donations from the Canmore Pride Society with transphobic and homophobic remarks about childcare and mental illness. The email was widely circulated on social media.
Backlash was swift, with high-profile commercial clients such as the historic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and Jasper Park Lodge, grocer Sunterra Market and the Banff Center for Arts and Creativity publicly cutting ties with Valbella. So did local restaurants and shops in Canmore and elsewhere in Alberta.
On Tuesday, the day the email became public, Valbella released an apology on social media and said Jeff von Rotz had been fired. “The words of one person do not reflect the opinions of the many people who work as part of the Valbella team,” wrote Chantal von Rotz, his sister.
In a later statement, she clarified that her brother was not the owner, despite his signature on the email, but was the president of the company. She said their parents, Walter and Leonie von Rotz, own the company, which The Globe and Mail confirmed with corporate records.
Chantal von Rotz said in a statement that Valbella’s priority is to regain the trust of the community. She said the company is reviewing its internal policies and plans to implement a new equity, diversity and inclusion plan. Valbela has also reached out to members of the LGBTQ+ community to apologize, the statement said.
Jeff von Rotz did not respond to interview requests from The Globe and has not commented publicly since the email surfaced.
The Canmore Pride Society said in an email that the group has received messages of support from people across Canada. “Love wins,” the email said. “Love always wins.” The group works with Banff Pride and others to educate businesses on how to make their spaces safer and more inclusive.
“The transphobic response we’ve received from local businesses further reinforces the importance of education in our community to keep our community members safe,” Canmore Pride said in the email.
The society also wrote a public message on social media on Friday, offering support to Valbella’s staff, who are “doing everything they can to make ends meet” and may also have been disappointed by the hurtful comments. “We see you. From a place of love and respect, if you are here for us, we are here for you.”
Valbella has been in Canmore for more than 40 years, opening in 1978. It sells meats, charcuterie and specialty foods and distributes products across the province to retailers and restaurants. The company’s website no longer lists its restaurant partners or retailers, but instead displays an error message.
Members of the public called on many businesses this week to stop working with Valbella. Fairmont acted almost immediately on Tuesday, saying on social media that it would no longer work with or buy from Valbella. “We are saddened and disappointed to learn of the hateful remarks made by Valbella, especially as we are dedicated to promoting an inclusive and safe environment,” the statement said.
A photo shared by Rusticana Grocery in Canmore shows a sign under Valbella products. In an effort to reduce waste, the sign says the store will donate all proceeds from the sale of these products to Canmore Pride and will immediately seek new suppliers.
An independent Edmonton restaurant called Fleisch Delikatessen said in a social media post that it will not allow hate on its plates. He removed Valbella products from the menu Wednesday and canceled pending orders. “We condemn in the strongest possible terms the hateful message that was contained in this email,” Fleisch said. “At a time of increasing violence against this community, it is not okay to remain silent and do nothing in the face of hatred.”
Canmore Mayor Sean Krausert also released a statement in solidarity with the LGBTQIA2S+ community, as did Alberta opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley, who called the comments “appalling” and said they were “rightfully condemned by countless Albertans.”
The firestorm surrounding Valbella’s email has spread to the Canmore Folk Festival, which announced Thursday that a local tap operator had canceled a contract this week because of the festival’s support for Canmore Pride.
“We are disheartened by this cancellation, but wholeheartedly stand behind our decision to condemn hate speech and exclusion, and stand in solidarity with Pride Canmore and the 2SLGBTQ2+ community as a whole,” the festival said online.
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