Go fresh and go local and you can't go wrong

The local produce theme is running strong this time of year, even at supermarket chains that feature Australian oranges and New Zealand apples. The issue of "buying local" and "food miles" has been gaining momentum for some time, and Fresh Talk posts have referred to it as the top social responsibility theme of the year in this February post.

I don't think consumer consciousness of food miles has percolated to the Midwest, but I believe supermarkets are not overlooking any opportunity to promote locally grown produce. Beyond the logistic headaches and the dollars and cents of local produce sales, promoting locally grown produce gives a chain considerable goodwill from the community.
Of course, the program must be credible. It is reassuring to see locally grown produce is without fail identified in food ads by the farm it is grown on, and sometimes pictures of the farmers are featured in larger measure than the commodities they are selling. Some stores also are promoting "meet and greet" sessions with local growers.

Locally here in suburban Kansas City, HyVee and Hen House are heavily advertising local produce supply, with Hy-Vee adopting the look of a farmers' markets, with squash and tomatoes displayed in bushel baskets.

On the Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group board, Big Apple notes that Pathmark also has launched a farm stand theme, replete with radio ads. Have farmers' markets come to the chain store? He posts this story from the Daily Record of Kinnelon, from earlier this year.

Pathmark of Kinnelon reopened earlier this year after extensive renovations designed to match its décor to the grocery store chain's "Go fresh, go local" theme.
The 55,400-square-foot store in Kinnelon Mall, just off Route 23 South, is open to the mall on one side, giving it a spacious entrance. Inside, the formerly stark white ceiling has been painted in a warm earthy tone that harmonizes with the new vinyl-composition tiled floor. Graphics and large pictures of tantalizing foods grace the walls. The shelving is new and topped with cap shelves to make use of space over the main displays for related items.
Spacing between the shelves was narrowed to fit in two additional aisles. Gravity-feed cases have been installed in many departments, ensuring that products are always lined up at the front via a spring system. Customers first encounter the produce market with food "as fresh as fresh gets," as signs over fruits and vegetables proclaim. The department has movable spotlights in place of harsh ceiling lights.
Cases are dedicated to melons and fruit juices. A farm stand presentation uses bushels, baskets and boxes to showcase many wares. Items are grouped by kind where possible; for example, all bagged fruits are together and organic produce has a section. Cross merchandising has brought some baked goods into the produce market as well. "Customer feedback indicated our shoppers are looking for expanded perishable offerings," said Rich Savner, director of public affairs at Pathmark. "Our stores operate in four contiguous states -- New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware -- so we also wanted to emphasize the fresh and local qualities of our products." Signs over the displays reinforce the message: Just Picked, Vine Ripened, Farm Fresh, Healthy Eating.
The company's advertising goes so far as to suggest that shoppers who want the "freshest, tastiest local produce" can go directly to the farm or take the easier route to Pathmark.


TK: Being a credible marketer of local produce is important for supermarkets and should be a well-rewarded merchandising tactic. However, retailers and suppliers must always be committed to the integrity of locally grown produce promotions. Promoting by grower name and putting growers in the store to meet consumers makes the sacred trust between shopper and retailer that much more solid.