Ultimate Burger Battle
(L-R) Albert Brulé and Erika Mikkola unveil the United Way Thunder Bay’s newly renamed Ultimate Burger Battle fundraiser (formerly Novemburger)
United Way Thunder Bay’s Novemburger Gets a New Name
Story and photo by Sidney Ulakovic
“It’s more than just a name change,” says United Way Thunder Bay CEO Albert Brulé. “It’s a whole new era of burger brilliance.”
Thunder Bay’s beloved burger-eating fundraiser for the local United Way, Novemburger, will be getting a brand new name ahead of this year’s campaign. On May 30, Brulé, alongside the fundraiser’s chef de mission Erika Mikkola, unveiled that the fundraiser will now be known as the Ultimate Burger Battle.
Although the name has changed, local foodies can still expect to sample all kinds of tasty burgers around town for a good cause this fall. “Headed to our seventh year here in Thunder Bay, the heart of the event remains the same,” says Brulé. “Every dollar raised in our city—here in Thunder bay, here in our region—during the Ultimate Burger Battle, will stay in our community and go towards supporting vital food programs.”
The initiative has already seen substantial growth since its launch in 2019, with last year’s campaign raising over $130,000 with the help of 40 restaurant partners and 10 ambassadors. Last year also marked the fundraiser’s national debut, as nine other United Ways across the country hosted their first Novemburger. “As we move more towards a national campaign, a rebrand was important,” Mikkola says, explaining that United Way chapters across the country will no longer be limited to running the campaign in just November. “The name change allows us to maximize participation and the number of United Ways that can be involved across Canada, and it also ensures that we’re able to set everyone up for success.”
The United Way’s Ultimate Burger Battle will launch November 1 and run until November 30. News and updates about this year’s fundraiser will be available on uwaytbay.ca.