AG 2011 07 18 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Issues and Themes Large chains dominate market In the 1990s, Cabarrus County was home to a successful independent and locally owned grocery, Dover Supermarket, which had three locations as of 1998. Today large grocery chains dominate the market in both Cabarrus and Mecklenburg Counties. Fresh Market and Earth Fare, two smaller chains with multiple stores in the southeast, have locations in Charlotte. Some of these stores label produce as locally grown, even though it is grown too far away for many to consider it local. A Charlotte chef listed Harris Teeter as one example. Company web sites reveal that Lowe's, Harris Teeter and Food Lion all carry independent organic label products. There is no evidence that these products are sourced locally. Albert's Organics is interested in working with local farmers, but they must be certified organic. The bulk of their business goes to mass markets, which was interpreted in the interview (but could not be confirmed) to be big grocery store chains. They also serve natural food stores, some buying clubs and some food service /institutional accounts. Food Lion identifies NC farms that provide products to the store, but individual products are not connected to individual growers. The farms appear to be large operations that do not supply the store with all, or even a majority of its produce. A conversation with a Food Lion produce manager reports he is ordering products from Food Lion buyers who can sometimes get him what he wants, but sometimes cannot. These buyers purchase products on a very large scale. For example, they bid on entire fields of strawberries at a time. Food Lion sells "Got to be NC" products and includes the label on its web site. The company, headquartered in Salisbury, has promoted NC products in the past, through the Got to be NC label and a partnership with the NC Department of Agriculture. The most recent promotion was for in July 2007. NC products were featured in sales fliers and product samples in stores across North Carolina. Demand increasing slowly Demand for locally- produced products is increasing slowly, but cost is often more important to customers, especially given the recent recession. Extension Director Debbie Bost agrees with other interviewees who said that consumers need convenient retail access to locally produced food. Two small operations —the Bradford Store in Huntersville (Davidson County) and the Hillbilly Produce Market in Charlotte (Mecklenburg County)— report a steady 22 Attachment number 1 1 -1 Page 257