We keep stressing this in our MarketReady training. Local foods suppliers (fresh foods, processed products, anything with a local label on it) need to get caught up with the on-line buying trend. I just loved this recent articel by Marshall Marcovitz in The Gourmet Retailer. Check it out - quick and fun read - Going Digital is Marketing Magic. Digital media is here to stay and is being consumed in huge doses.
I love seeing the growth in markets like Penn's Corner, Hoosier Harvest, and Fair Shares CCSA. Many other great examples, not to endorse any one specifically, where farmers are selling through aggregation on-line sites like these. And some pretty creative entrepreneurs are connected with each group. These go way beyond the simple directory of "here's where you can find local food" application of the ecommerce world. Lower search costs for shoppers can provide a huge boost in market interest. Ask the autotrade.com folks.
These sites are not a full substitute for the experiential dimension of local foods (visiting the farm market or a u-pick orchard) valued by locavores, but they sure are a nice complement.
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