BELLINGHAM, Wash. (FNS) -- Brown & Cole Stores is a hometown market that relies on homegrown produce to bolster its marketing presence.
Apples, berries, corn and squash -- along with holiday favorites like pumpkins, gourds and ornamental corn -- are each sourced locally by the 33-unit independent. In-store signage, as well as messages within the chain's advertisements, tout the individual growers and identify where their fields are located.
"At Brown & Cole, we differentiate ourselves as a company by supporting local growers and producers," said Harry Taylor, produce division manager. "We give our customers what they see growing in the fields as they go to work."
Since autumn can be the most colorful time of the year, stores should reflect that vitality, he said. As a result, Brown & Cole units have built store-front displays that feature pumpkins, straw bales, cornstalks and scarecrows.
"We want customers to get that fall, fun-time-of-year feeling as they walk up to the store," said Taylor.
Fully decorated pumpkins, including logo designs featuring the University of Washington and Washington State University, are merchandised alongside white pumpkins, gourds, ornamental corn and popcorn balls.
Local edible squash items include bins of mixed squash, with such names as Turban and Sweet Dumpling.
In early October, Brown & Cole featured Jonigold apples, Merit apples, organic ear corn, locally grown ear corn and pumpkins, each supplied by different growers.
All this effort comes at a cost -- in time as well as money. Taylor makes frequent farm visits, and has set his schedule and paperwork up to accommodate working with numerous vendors.
"To achieve our goals, Jonigold apples, for example, take four lines on my order guide," he explained. "It takes more attention, but it's one way we connect to the neighborhood. Everybody I deal with, I know personally. I see how they grow and produce their crops. It would have been easier for me to buy from one source, but we want good and flavorful produce for our customers and their families."
Building such close partnerships is vital, said Taylor. He points to several growers who have posted signs in their fields alongside roads, indicating that the crop is being grown for Food Pavilion, one of Brown & Cole's bannered store groups. The chain recently purchased 800 pounds of gourds, having them delivered to stores within five minutes of the field.
One of the Brown & Cole units has even taken a community service approach to this year's pumpkin sales. The store's produce department manager contracted with the local 4H club to supply pumpkins to his unit.
"These local efforts would be difficult for a large chain, and it is more work, but the customer appreciation we get is the best reward," said Taylor.
