More Local Produce Coming to Stores
The New York Times recently wrote that supermarkets are working harder to carry more local-grown fruits and vegetables. In July, Walmart announced that it planned to spend $400 million this year on locally-grown produce. Will Wedge, Director of Produce for Hannaford Brothers’ stores, said a company survey found that 82% of its customers think locally-grown produce tastes better.
Since the major supermarket chains have been purchasing the majority of their produce from the West Coast for years, the shift to local can be a difficult change. But high fuel costs and customer demand are making local food an attractive idea. The big retailers have to figure out how to go from a couple phone calls to a large West Coast distributor, to working with a few local farmers who can bring produce in the back door. Purchasing practices have to be changed dramatically for grocers to go from annual contracts and huge cross-country shipments to cheaper, seasonal produce from a variety of local sellers.
Personally, I’m so happy to hear about this major shift in how we get our fresh produce. Although there are some wonderful farmer’s markets out there, I’d love to see more local fruits and veggies brought right to our grocery stores. Let’s face it, we all can’t make it to the market on an early Saturday or Sunday morning. Convenience is key. I’m sure it will take time for the big supermarket chains to re-vamp their process, but it’s well worth it for reducing fuel emissions and making local produce readily available for everyone.
