DALLAS — Local sourcing may become more important than organics for a lot of consumers in the future, author Samuel Fromartz told a general session here last week at the inaugural Healthy Foods International Exposition and Conference.
The event was co-sponsored by SN and New Hope Natural Media, both of which are owned by Penton Media, New York.
“Organics is not just a label but a set of values people buy into because of products that resonate,” Fromartz said.
Many food retailers are trying to reconfigure their sourcing strategies to buy more locally, he explained, citing Whole Foods Market as an example.
Asked to define “local,” Fromartz, author of the book, “Organics, Inc.,” acknowledged that it's a tough question. “The typical description of local — an area 100 miles to 150 miles away — is counterproductive, because there could be a rural area more than 150 miles away that is not near a metropolitan center but that could serve it very well.
“Thinking locally could involve buying within a region where there is room for specialization, and where you could buy one type of produce from one group of farmers and another item from another group, across a larger region.”
When someone in the audience pointed out that “local” is often defined as being within the same county, Fromartz replied, “It would be difficult to operate on that level.”
Asked how retailers might respond if the nearest grower used chemicals and one farther away was organic, Fromartz replied, “Both are good choices, and it's important not to be too rigid. You should try to make the best choices you can.”
While local sourcing will grow, he said, “a lot of purchases will be seasonal, so companies in the East or Pacific Northwest might buy from California during the winter and then switch when local sourcing becomes available.”
Beyond local buying, other segments of the values spectrum that may become as important in the future as organics are today include the “certified humane” designation for the raising and handling of animals; sustainability in seafood; and the fair trade designation, particularly for coffee.
Fromartz said he would like to see an increase in the amount of fair trade products. “It will continue to rise in coffee, and I think we'll see an expansion of the fair trade label on overseas produce,” he said.
Asked about the responsibility of government in setting standards, Fromartz said, “The government is usually behind the marketplace, so it's likely companies will adopt their own rules on local sourcing, humane treatment and other issues before they are codified.”
