Local sourcing has come a long way. A RetailWire poll conducted way back in Dec. 2007 asked how consumer purchasing decisions are influenced by where a product was made. At the time, 31 percent said it didn't matter at all while 59 percent said it was a small factor.
Today, locally produced products are a big deal in retail marketing. One chain, Seattle-based Bartell Drugs, has used its 125-year history in the Puget Sound region and its relationship with local suppliers in the promotion of a successful new private label.
The line, Emerald and Spruce, has given the 63-store drugstore chain a point of difference in the marketplace. The idea behind the line was to feature high quality products at a good price that were tied to the chain's Puget Sound marketing area. Jean Barber Bartell, the chain's vice chairman and treasurer, compared the line to Trader Joe's products in an interview with The Seattle Times.
Photo: Bartell Drugs
At this point, Emerald and Spruce remains a small line for Bartell's, featuring dog treats, ice cream made by Snoqualmie Ice Cream, and vitamins. The chain plans to roll out a coffee line at a future date. Ms. Barber Bartell said the company was limited in the number of items it could add to the line based on its size.
Last month, Bartell Drug hired a former REI exec, Brian Unmacht, as the fourth CEO and first non-family member in the company's history.