When it comes to sharing America’s growing infatuation with fresh, local food, Wegmans Food Markets puts its money where its mouth is.
The regional grocery chain runs a fifty-acre research farm near New York’s Canandaigua Lake specializing in sustainable, organic growing practices. CEO Danny Wegman often blogs about the five-year-old farm, and in August 2012 he finally opened it to public tours.
Sure, the Wegmans farm can only supply veggies to two nearby stores, but it serves as a living symbol for the privately owned chain of 80 mid-Atlantic supermarkets. Its mission: Local, healthy food aimed at everyday families. To reinforce the message further, the company web site gives shoppers a running schedule when local fruit and vegetables will arrive at stores in their state.
It turns out that local apples and squash carry a hefty economic wallop. While large food chains struggle with slow sales, Wegmans thrives.
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