The Locally Grown Foods Drive
By George Anderson
One New England consumer drives 85 miles every two weeks to get the type of milk he wants. This same consumer drives 1,000 miles roundtrip to buy fresh peaches every August in Maryland.
The consumer in question may be an extreme example, but he is emblematic of the lengths a growing number of people are willing to go to find “pure, high-quality, locally grown food”, says The Boston Globe.
Moderator’s Comment: Are traditional grocers and large-scale
manufacturers moving quickly enough to benefit from the consumer desire for
locally grown and organic foods?
Consumers are more concerned with the path food takes
to get to their tables. Suspicions about GMOs, medical treatment of livestock
and processing have caused many to rethink what they buy. A stroll through the
local Trader Joe’s parking lot last week showed signs of consumers making roundtrips
well in excess of 100 miles to shop at the store. Clearly its time for manufacturers
and retailers to rethink how they go to market. [George
Anderson – Moderator]