United Way’s 2024 Novemburger campaign was the biggest one yet, and it set a few records.
A total of 44,695 burgers were sold with $2 from each purchase going toward United Way.
The Sleeping Giant Brewing Co., joined the event this year by creating a Novembreger which was a non-alcoholic root beer.
A total of 7,179 were sold adding $1,794.75 to the campaign.
This year’s campaign raised over $130,000.
Each year following the campaign awards are given out in a couple of categories.
Top Novemburger of the Year is voted on by a panel of 10 ambassadors who ranked the Platinum Novemburgers on presentation, taste, originality, and overall execution.
Red Lion Smokehouse which hosted the campaign wrapup event was awarded Top Novemburger this year.
“It’s really nice to get the award but to be honest, it’s an amazing thing that we look forward to every year regardless of our outcome because it’s such an amazing thing for our community,” said Red Lion Smokehouse, Owner, John Murray. “Every single year we sell more Novembers than we have the previous year, so it’s always a personal goal of ours to sort of smash our records.”
The title of Most Novemburgers Sold was awarded to Outlaws Burgers & Fries who sold a total of 6,692 burgers, over doubling the previous year’s record of 3,305.
Throughout the month, fans were also able to vote for their favourite burger, with the top three receiving the People’s Choice award.
The 2024 People’s Choice Novemburger Award recipients are:
- 1st Place: Dawson General Store
- 2nd Place: Outlaws Burgers & Fries
- 3rd Place: The Sal
“We set out, you know, for our 6th annual November, anticipating that it would grow,” explained United Way CEO Albert Brule. “I don’t know that we anticipated it would double in terms of the results like twice as many burgers as last year sold twice as much funding raised.”
“A huge number of new restaurants, some of whom you know, have said joining November was the best decision they ever made.”
Over six years the program has raised over $275,000, with this year accounting for almost half of that total, highlighting the growth of the campaign.
“If it continues to grow, that would make it, you know, one of our most significant signature fundraising events, It’s super wonderful to see the community getting behind it,” added Brule. “We hear from the restaurant owners themselves that this is a great kind of a win-win, cross-promotion.”
The funds from the program support local food programs and programs that include food services.
“We have community partners like the RFDA and the Dew Drop Inn that are very much reliant on support from the community and from the United Way for their programs,” said Brule. “Our Kids Count, Evergreen, United Neighbourhood, these are programs that include access to food, healthy, nutritious food for kids.”
A record 41 restaurants participated and the hope is that the campaign will continue to expand next year.
“I think what we would like to try and make possible for 2025 is make it a little easier for even the smallest of communities, even if they have one or two restaurants, but as a region, it’s understood that, hey, you know, if you’re in Dryden, if you’re in Kenora, Nipigon there’s a place that you can participate, and you’re still supporting United Way in Northwestern Ontario,” added Brule. “Let’s see maybe that’s our next growth opportunity is in the region next year.”
The program already expanded this year with nine other communities across the country launching their own Novemburger campaign this year.
“Maybe we’ll see, closer to 20 next year, we don’t know,” said Brule.
